m 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


Of  this  book  there  have  been  printed  One 
Hundred  and  Sixty-five  Copies  on  Van 
Gelder  Paper,  and  Fifteen  Copies  on  extra 
quality  Imperial  Japan  paper,  after  which 
the  type  has  been  distributed  and  the  plates 
destroyed. 


AN  ONEIDA  COUNTY 

PRINTER 
WILLIAM  WILLIAMS 


<^(?Co 


^.     I' ^ ?;> 


AN 

ONEIDA    COUNTY 

PRINTER 

WILLIAM   WILLIAMS 

PRINTER,    PUBLISHER,    EDITOR 

WITH 

A     BIBLIOGRAPHY      OF      THE 

PRESS      AT     UTICA,      ONEIDA 

COUNTY    NEW    YORK, FROM 

1803-1838 

BY 

JOHN  CAMP  WILLIAMS 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

MCMVI 


Copyright  by  John  Camp  Wilhams 
1906 


2  2-3A 


V) 


vfS 


Or^ 


5- 


To  the  memory  of  my  father 
whose  noble  example  ever  lives 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 


Introduction    .... 
Foreword:  by  Ellis  H.  Roberts 
Chapter  I.     1787  to  1821    . 
Bibliography    .... 
Chapter   II.     1821  to  1850 

Appendix 

I.  Fort  Schuyler 

II.  Robert  Williams'  Emigration 

III.  Entry   of  William   Williams 

Baptism  .... 
IV.   Letter  of  William  Williams 
V.   Diary   of   William    Williams 
during  a  stage-coach  trip  from 
Utica  to  New   Haven,   18 10 
VI.  Defence     of    Mr.    Hull     by 
William  Williams  . 


PAGE 

xvii 
xxi 

3 
18 

97 
161 

163 

164 

167 
167 


170 


190 


CONTENTS 

PAGX 

Appendix — continued 

VII.  List  of  Editions  of  Illustra- 
tions of  Masonry  with  an 
"Appeal  to  the  Public,"  by 
the  Masons    ....       201 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

ALL    REPRODUCTIONS    OF    WOODCUTS    ARE 

FULL  SIZE,   AND  FROM  THE  ORIGINALS  BY 

WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

William  Williams:  Frontispiece 

Mezzotint  by  S.  Arlent  -  Edwards. 
Taken  from  a  plaster  impression  of  an 
intaglio  cut  from  life. 


Title  Page 

Woodcut    of   Cupids. 
Songs."     Utica,  1810. 


From   "  Divine 
Page  5. 


List  OF  Illustration:  Head-piece 

Woodcut  of  Mercury  and  Cupids.  From 
"The  Wanderer  of  Switzerland."  Utica, 
18 10.      Page  48. 

List  of  Illustrations  :  Tail-piece 

Woodcut  of  Rose.  From  "  The  Wanderer 
of  Switzerland."    Utica,  1810.    Page  75. 


PAGE 

iv 


XI 


XV 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


Introduction:   Head-piece    .        .      xvii 

Woodcut  of  Doves.  From  "  The  Wan- 
derer of  Switzerland."  Utica,  1810. 
Page  57. 

Foreword  :  Head-piece  .        .        .       xxi 

Woodcut  of  Venus  crowning  Cupid. 
From  "  The  Wanderer  of  Switzerland." 
Utica.  1810.      Page  69. 

Foreword  :  Tail-piece     .        .        .    xxvii 

Woodcut  of  Victory.  From  "  The  Wan- 
derer of  Switzerland."  Utica,  1810. 
Page  61. 

Chapter  I :   Head-piece         .        .  3 

Woodcut  of  Cupid  as  Mars.  From 
"  The  Wanderer  of  Switzerland."  Utica, 
1810.       Page  25. 

Title  Page  of  "  Vindication," 
Printed  by  Thomas  Walker. 
Utica,  I  803 15 

Original  size. 

Chapter   I;  Tail-piece    .        .        .        17 

Woodcut  of  a  Bird  on  a  Branch.  From 
18 10  edition  of  "  New  England  Primer." 

Title     Page:     "Sea   Journal    of 

William  Moulton."  Utica,  1804        19 

Original  size. 

xii 


LIST    OF     ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Title  Page    of  "  The   Wanderer 

of  Switzerland."    Utica,  1810.        29 

Original  size. 

Title     Page     of    **  The     Divine 

Songs  "  by  I.  Watts,  D.  D.  Utica, 

1810 31 

Original  size. 

Title  Page  of  "The  New  England 

Primer."     Utica,  18 10       .        .        35 
Original  size. 

Alphabet  Cuts  from  "The  New 
England  Primer."    Utica,  18  10 

•        •        •        •        •    36,  37»  38,  39»40 

Original  size. 

Frontispiece  of  "The  Wanderer." 

Utica,  I  8 1 1 46 

Original  size. 

Facsimile   of  William  Williams' 

Commission  as  Adjutant,  181  2        53 

Reduced  size. 

Fractional  Currency  of  the  Vil- 
lage of  Utica,  1815    .        .        .        63 

Reduced  size. 

All  of  these  cuts  appeared  in  the  1810 
edition  of  "  The  Wanderer  in  Switzer- 
land." 

xiii 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Facsimile  of  William  Williams' 
commission  as  Brigade  Inspec- 
tor, 1816 71 

Reduced  size. 

Title    Page    of   "  The    Musical 

Reader."      Utica,  18 17     .        .        j^ 

Type  page  of  original,  4^  '^  7/^  inches. 

Title  Page  of  "A  Spelling  Book 
in  the    Language  of  the  Seven 
Iroquois  Nations."    Utica,  1820        89 
Original  size. 

Chapter  I  :  Tail-piece  ...        94 

Woodcut  of  Lyre.      From  "  The  Wan- 
derer of  Switzerland."      Page  52. 
Original  size. 

Chapter  II  :  Head-piece         .        .        97 

Woodcut  of  Quiver  and  Arrows.    From 
"  The  Wanderer  of  Switzerland."    Utica, 
1810.      Page  59. 

Title  Page  of  "Light  on  Ma- 
sonry."    Utica,  1829.        .        .      123 

Original  size.      First  Issue  of  First  Edition. 

Title  Page  of  **  Light  on  Ma- 
sonry."     Utica,  1829.        .        .125 

Original  size.     Second  Issue  of  First  Edition, 
xiv 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


size. 


PACK 


Colored  Photogravure  of 
William  Morgan,  who  was  ab- 
ducted by  the  Masons  in  1826.      129 

From  an  ivory  miniature  in   the  posses- 
sion of  Mr.  Williams  in  1828. 

Business  Card  of  William  Williams 
on  Copper,  by  Balch  and  Stiles, 
1830 137 

Photogravure    reproduction.       Original 


Chapter  II:  Tail-piece  .        .160 

Minerva  Woodcut.      Original  size. 
From    "Moral    Songs."       Utica,    1810. 
Page  2. 

Book  Plate     .  .        .        .        .213 

Woodcut  by  William  Williams.     Original 
size. 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  bibliography  of  the  numerous 
presses  in  the  different  cities  and 
towns  of  the  United  States  must 
necessarily  be  the  basis  of  a  complete 
bibliography  of  the  country.  The  inland 
towns  which  sprung  up  rapidly  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  were  the 
centers  of  an  active  agricultural  popula- 
tion, and  those  of  Central  New  York 
drew  their  population  mainly  from  New 
England.  The  first  newspaper  which 
started  in  the  confines  of  the  present 
Oneida  County  (a  distance  of  loo  miles 
west  of  Albany  and  as  early  as  1793)  was 
the  beginning  of  a  printing  press  in  that 
section,   where    Fort   Stanwix     and   Fort 

xvii 


INTRODUCTION 

Schuyler  had  been  planted  before  the  war. 
In  addition  to  a  bibliography  it  has  been 
attempted  in  the  following  pages  to  enu- 
merate under  each  year  such  events  of 
local  or  national  history  as  influenced 
public  sentiment  through  the  columns  of 
the  semi-weekly  newspaper,  or  led  to  the 
publication  of  these  books. 

The  increase  of  schools  caused  a  large 
wholesale  and  retail  demand  for  the  "New 
England  Primer,"  "Webster's  and  Hall's 
Spelling  Books,"  "Murray's  Readers  and 
Grammars,"  "Morse's  and  Thayer's  Geog- 
raphies," as  well  as  school  editions  of  the 
New  Testament,  all  of  which  ran  through 
numerous  Utica  editions.  The  spread  of 
the  Gospel  among  the  Indian  tribes  by 
missionaries  from  New  England  and  New 
York  demanded  the  books  printed  in  the 
Mohawk  and  Choctaw  languages.  Popu- 
lar indignation  at  the  abuse  of  personal 
liberty  and  safety  by  members  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  flooded  the  country 
xviii 


INTRODUCTION 

with  anti-masonic  literature,  much  of 
which  came  from  WiUiam  Williams' 
press. 

The  nearly  complete  files  of  the  Utica 
newspapers  in  the  New  York  Historical 
Society  have  furnished  the  names  of  many 
of  the  following  publications,  of  which 
no  copy  is  now  known  to  exist.  Aid  has 
also  been  received  by  consulting  the 
Oneida  Historical  Society,  the  Utica 
Public  Library,  the  Lenox  Library  and 
Mr.  George  Plimpton's  large  collection 
of  American  school  books. 

J.  C.  W. 

Morristown,  N.  J. 
May,  1906 


FOREWORD 

THE  memory  of  William  Wil- 
liams, Oneida  County  printer, 
should  not  be  allowed  to  pass 
away.  One  of  his  descendants  does  well 
to  preserve  the  record  of  his  character  and 
labors.  His  enterprise  and  transactions 
were  on  a  large  scale  actually,  but  espec- 
ially in  view  of  the  limits  of  the  field  in 
which  he  lived.  In  1808,  when  he  be- 
came a  master  printer,  Utica  had  a 
population  of  about  two  thousand,  and  in 
1830,  near  the  close  of  his  active  career, 
the     inhabitants    numbered     hardly    five 

xxi 


FOREWORD 


thousand.  To  issue  a  newspaper,  even  in 
such  a  village,  was  a  natural  impulse. 
One  can  understand  how  foresight  might 
engage  him  in  publishing  "Webster's 
Spelling  Book"  by  the  thousand  copies, 
and  even  how  he  might  be  led  to  turn 
out  "  Daboll's  Arithmetic,"  dry  and  hard 
as  it  was,  but  the  favorite  of  the  time.  The 
courage  was  marvelous,  which  even  in 
the  high  intelligence  of  his  little  com- 
munity could  add  the  publication  of  so 
many  and  such  varied  works,  educational, 
religious,  musical,  in  fiction,  on  anti- 
masonry,  and  often  at  the  risk  of  himself 
and  partners.  In  the  ratio  of  publications 
to  the  population  of  the  locality,  where 
can  a  parallel  be  found  ? 

To  reach  the  inhabitants  scattered  out- 
side of  the  little  hamlet,  for  the  distribu- 
tion of  books,  the  facilities  were  few  and 
meager.  Colporteurs  could  be  sent  out 
and  wagons  and  pack-horses  could  be 
hired.      As  the  years  went  on  stages  east 


XXll 


FOREWORD 

and  west  ran  daily,  and  on  the  demands 
of  traffic  more  frequently,  while  post- 
riders  traveled  the  country  roads  to  the 
north  and  south — so  mails  were  carried. 
The  Erie  canal  was  available  only  after 
1825,  and  boats  were  not  numerous  at 
first.  Such  isolation  set  barriers  to  sales 
and  operations. 

Yet  Utica  was  made  pre-eminently  a 
publishing  center,  relatively  in  the  fore- 
most rank  in  the  business  in  the  country, 
and  positively  with  a  production  credit- 
able to  a  great  city.  Later  years,  which 
have  witnessed  immense  growth  here  in 
all  other  directions,  have  not  shown  an 
issue  of  books  equal  in  variety  and  scope 
from  the  more  numerous  and  more  rapid 
presses.  The  difference  in  the  record  is 
due  to  the  large  vision,  the  public  spirit, 
the  strong  will  and  the  efficient  energy  of 
William  Williams  in  that  struggling 
hamlet. 

If  others   aided,  he   led    and    directed, 
xxiii 


FOREWORD 

To  do  SO  much  with  so  little,  to  perform 
so  largely  in  so  narrow  an  arena,  called  for 
and  attest  qualities  original  and  construc- 
tive, and  in  combination  as  rare  as  they 
were  beneficent.  These  he  exhibited  not 
only  in  his  business,  but  they  were  also 
conspicuous  in  social,  civic  and  religious 
activities.  He  gave  impetus  and  elevation 
to  his  village.  He  was  needed  in  every 
emergency,  and  he  was  always  prompt  to 
respond  cheerily  and  vigorously. 

The  British  attack  on  the  northern 
frontier,  in  the  War  of  i  8 1  2,  aroused  him 
and  hurried  him  as  Captain  of  a  company 
of  volunteers,  which  he  raised,  to  the  de- 
fense of  Sackets  Harbor.  He  won  credit 
as  a  soldier  which  lasted  through  his  life. 
In  these  days  of  paid  fire  departments  it 
costs  an  effort  to  appreciate  the  unrequited 
zeal  and  devotion  required  to  organize  the 
citizens  to  fight  fire,  but  they  knew  the 
value  and  the  merit  of  his  services  and 
kept  him  long  at   the  head  of  the  local 

xxiv 


FOREWORD 

force.  Always  devoted  to  the  welfare  of 
others,  he  found  in  steady  labors  in  the 
Sunday  School  as  its  superintendent,  and 
in  the  church  as  elder,  the  natural  methods 
to  serve  his  fellows  and  to  express  his  own 
aspirations.  In  the  cholera  epidemic  of 
1832  he  was  a  leader  in  organizing  for 
the  care  of  the  poor  and  neglected,  for 
precautions  to  check  the  disease,  and  for 
aid  to  the  afflicted.  The  stories  of  his 
personal  zeal  and  service  in  this  crisis 
match  any  of  the  chronicles  of  monk  or 
priest  in  any  age 

Accident  cannot  explain  why  from  his 
printing  office  so  many  men  went  out 
trained  for  such  high  and  worthy  careers. 
Within  a  brief  period  from  case  and  press 
started  8.  Wells  Williams,  Sampson,  Web- 
ster, North,  to  missionary  labors,  Henry 
Ivison  as  publisher,  C.  W.  Everest  to  lit- 
erary success,  George  S.  Wilson  and  R. 
B.  Shepard  to  leadership  in  Sunday  School 
and  pulpit  work,  and  later,  W.  Frederick 

XXV 


FOREWORD 

Williams  as  missionary  and  Robert  W. 
Roberts  as  publisher.  Such  fruit  proves 
that  the  tree  of  that  printing  office  was 
good  ;  and  the  credit  belongs  mainly  to 
its  chief  for  its  moral  and  intellectual  ele- 
vation. 

An  establishment  takes  on  an  influence 
and  traditions  as  a  man  forms  a  character, 
and  a  college  creates  a  genius  of  its  own. 
Of  the  wide  harvest  in  all  of  central  and 
western  New  York,  from  the  planting  of 
Mr.  Williams  the  following  pages  will 
doubtless  present  a  proper  estimate.  In 
the  city  grown  from  the  village,  where  he 
toiled  in  largest  measure,  will  endure  the 
traditions  and  the  history  of  the  printing 
office  of  William  Williams — not  only  as 
a  source  of  books,  but  as  a  school  of  the 
"art  preservatives  of  all  arts,"  and  a  torch 
set  on  a  hill. 

My  own  connection  with  it  was  of  the 
slightest.  At  the  eleventh  hour,  at  its  very 
end,  when  the  sun  was  already  setting,  my 


FOREWORD 

name  as  a  young  boy  was  put  on  the  pay 
roll,  the  last  person  employed  in  the 
printing  office  of  William  Williams.  What 
wonder  if  its  traditions  are  dear  to  me 
with  the  glamour  of  the  olden  days?  The 
character  and  labors  of  William  Williams 
lie  at  the  base  of  the  choicest  treasures  of 
Utica. 

Ellis  H.  Roberts. 

Utica,  N.  Y.,  October  9,  1905. 


CHAPTER   I 

1787  to  1821 


CHAPTER  1 

1787  to  1821 

ONEIDA  COUNTY  was  one  of 
the  comparatively  later  sub- 
divisions of  New  York  State  in 
1798,  although  the  tribe  of  Indians  from 
which  it  took  its  name  had  been  prominent 
and  powerful  for  years.  Samuel  Kirkland, 
who  had  graduated  from  Princeton  Col- 
lege in  1766,  and  James  Dean  from  Dart- 
mouth's third  class  in  1773,  were  hard  at 
work  among  them  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Revolutionary  War.  The  former  was  given 
a  large  tract  of  land  by  the  Government 
in  1788  for  his  services  among  them,  and 

3 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

in  1792  moved  to  Clinton,  which  had 
already  been  founded  in  1786.  In  1791 
he  had  already  proposed,  and  in  1793  had 
succeeded  in  founding,  Hamilton  Oneida 
Academy,  later  Hamilton  College.  This 
noble  missionary  work  among  the  Indians 
by  the  young  graduates  of  the  colleges 
had  a  far-reaching  influence,  and  was  but 
the  continuation  of  the  example  that  had 
been  set  by  the  New  England  colleges 
ever  since  their  earliest  days.  The  terri- 
tory had  all  been  traversed  by  the  army 
under  the  Revolutionary  officers  who  had 
been  appointed  to  this  district  by  General 
Philip  Schuyler.  He  commanded  the 
northwestern  frontier,  and  had  his  garri- 
sons at  Fort  Stanwix*  (called  Fort  Schuy- 
ler during  the  period  of  the  war),  the 
present  site  of  Rome,  and  Old  Fort  Schuy- 
ler, the  present  site  of  Utica.  The  army 
had  made  the  ground  hallowed  by  their 
victory  at  Oriskany  over   British  and    In- 

*Appendix  I 
4 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

dian  combined  forces,  and  little  wonder 
that  the  New  Englander  hastened  to  flock 
thither  and  populate  the  fertile  valley  of 
the  Mohawk  as  soon  as  peace  was  de- 
clared. In  1784,  Hugh  White,  from 
Middletown,  Conn.,  settled  at  the  mouth 
of  Saquoit  Creek  on  the  Mohawk  River, 
and  although  fifty-one  years  of  age,  had 
not  lost  the  true  pioneer  spirit  of  the 
American.  He  soon  became,  by  purchase, 
one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Sadaquada 
patent,  jointly  with  Zephania  Piatt,  Ezra 
L'Hommedieu  and  Melancthon  Smith. 
Whitestown  was  laid  out  at  the  time,  and 
contained  most  of  the  territory  north, 
west  and  south  of  the  present  Utica.  In 
1788  Col.  Sanger  came  as  a  settler  from 
Connecticut,  and  laid  out  the  district 
known  as  New  Hartford,  a  part  of  Whites- 
town,  and  not  separated  until  1827.  Still 
another  district  was  called  Middle  Settle- 
ment. The  same  year  that  Col.  Sanger 
came  there  was  laid  out  the  Great  Western 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Turnpike,  running  west  from  Albany.  To 
this  Utica  owed  its  growth,  and  it  was 
due  to  his  influence  that  it  crossed  the 
Mohawk  at  Old  Fort  Schuyler,  and  turned 
its  direction  southward  towards  his  newly 
platted  settlement  of  New  Hartford.  The 
news  of  the  wonderful  fertility  of  the 
valley  at  this  period,  and  the  success  of 
the  new  settlement,  spread  rapidly,  and 
every  year  brought  new  caravans  of  pion- 
eers from  the  "  thickly  populated  East." 
In  1790  came  from  Framingham,  Mass., 
two  brothers,  Thomas  and  Ezekiel  Wil- 
liams, with  their  wives ;  the  former  family 
having  four  and  the  latter  five  young 
children.  They  were  sprung  from  Puri- 
tan ancestors,  unmixed  with  foreign  in- 
termarriage, as  indicated  by  the  direct 
line  of  names — Dana,  Bird,  Brewer,  Wise 
and  Stalham.  Robert  Williams,  their 
father's  great-grandfather,  had  settled  in 
Roxbury,  Mass.,  from  Norfolk,  England, 
in  1638,  seeking  a  home  of  religious  free- 

6 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

dom.*  Both  brothers  had  been  born  in 
Roxbury,  within  two  years  of  each  other, 
and  at  the  age  of  about  twenty  Thomas 
and  his  brother-in-law,  Thomas  Dana, 
had  each  volunteered  their  services  as 
minute  men  in  the  first  call  for  troops  in 
Boston,  having  each  a  few  years  before,  as 
boys,  participated  in  the  Boston  Tea  Party 
escapade,  disguised  as  "Mohocs."  The 
two  brothers  married  sisters,  Susanna  and 
Sarah  Dana,  of  Boston,  during  the  second 
year  of  the  war,  and  in  1782  moved  to 
Framingham,  Mass.,  where  they  started  a 
partnership  in  the  tanning  business.  Here, 
in  1787,  on  October  12th,  was  born  Wil- 
liam, the  fourth  child  of  the  elder  brother 
Thomas,  who  according  to  the  church 
record  was  baptised  "Billy"  Williams, j* 
the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

After  eight  years  of  tanning  in  Fram- 
ingham they  were  closed  by  the  sher- 
iff, and  then  left  for  still  further  western 

*Appendix  II.     fAppendix  III. 

7 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

fields  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  same 
business  in  the  Sanger  settlement  of 
New  Hartford,  in  the  confines  of  Judge 
Whites'  prosperous  Whitestown.  Each 
built  himself  a  substantial  home  at  once,  as 
they  were  both  present  when  the  "First 
Religious  Society  of  Whitestown"  was 
formed  on  June  20,  1791  ;  and  it  was 
voted  **  to  build  a  church  a  few  rods 
south  of  Mr.  Ezekiel  Williams'  house." 
The  same  record  shows  that  in  January, 
1792,  "  John,  son  of  Thomas  and  Susanna 
Williams,  born  New  Hartford,  1 791,  was 
baptised"  by  Johnathan  Edwards,  Jr., 
the  President  of  Union  College  in  1799 
to  1 80 1,  who,  in  1 79 1,  was  called  out 
into  the  wilderness  to  dedicate  their  new 
church.  The  record  further  shows  that, 
on  June  28,  1792,  Missionary  Samuel 
Kirkland  preached,  and  Ephriam  Smith 
was  made  first  and  Thomas  Williams  the 
second  deacon  of  the  church.  True  to 
their  religious  principles  their  consciences 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

would  not  allow  them  to  substitute  the 
letter  of  the  bankrupt  law  for  their  spirit- 
ual law,  and  in  a  few  years  they  were 
making  a  trip  back  to  Framingham, 
Mass.,  partly  by  foot,  to  pay  off  their  old 
creditors  in  full  with  the  first  fruits  of 
their  new  and  prosperous  venture.  On 
the  loth  of  July,  1793,  their  progressive 
townsmen  decided  to  issue  a  newspaper, 
and  the  first  number  of  the  Whitestown 
Gazette  appeared  on  that  date  (Vol.  i. 
No.  7,  being  dated  August  22,  1793,  and 
the  only  known  copy).  It  appeared 
weekly  under  the  proprietorship  of  Jed- 
ediah  Sanger,  Samuel  Wells  and  Elisha 
Risley,  while  Richard  Vandenburg  was 
employed  as  printer.  This  had  the  honor 
of  being  the  first  weekly  newspaper  printed 
west  of  Albany.  For  want  of  patronage 
it  was  discontinued  the  next  winter,  and 
the  following  year  James  Swords,  of  New 
York  City,  started  the  Western  Centinel 
at    Whitestown,    and    Oliver    C.    Easton 

9 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

was  the  printer.  This  changed  hands 
several  times,  and  was  soon  discontinued. 
The  Whitestown  Gazette  was  re-estab- 
lished, May,  1796,  in  New  Hartford,  with 
Samuel  Wells  the  proprietor  and  William 
McLean  the  printer.  They  were  not 
without  competition,  for,  in  1797,  was 
issued  "  Oration  delivered  at  Whitestown, 
July  4,  1797,  by  Thomas  Moore,  printed 
by  Lewis  &  Webb,  Whitestown,  1797." 
Prosperous  as  the  New  Hartford  settle- 
ment was,  the  Old  Fort  Schuyler*  site 
found  much  favor  in  the  eyes  of  new- 
comers, and  already,  in  1789,  it  was  plat- 
ted for  building  lots  by  John  Post,  Uriah 
Alverson  and  Stephen  Potter.  The  tide 
of  immigration  was  west,  and  not  south 
towards  New  Hartford;  and  the  main 
turnpike  diverted  west  towards  Fort 
Stanwix,  and  the  new-formed  town  called 
Utica.  Upon  the  granting  of  its  first 
charter,  April  3,  1798,  it  was  destined  to 

*Ruins  of  the  old  Fort  could  be  seen  at  Corner  Main  and 
Second  Streets  in  1828. 

10 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

outstrip  the  other  settlements.  Thither 
William  McLean,  who  had  become  sole 
proprietor  of  the  paper,  moved  and  issued 
it,  July  1798,  under  the  name  Whites- 
town  Gazette  and  Cato  s  Patrol.  Thither 
also  in  March,  the  same  year,  came  Thomas 
Walker  from  Rome,  and  set  up  his 
Columbian  Gazette,  which  he  had  been 
publishing  there  since  August  17,  1799. 
He  was  a  former  apprentice  to  Isaiah 
Thomas  at  Worcester,  Mass. 

By  an  Act  passed  April  4,  1800,  a 
Charter  of  Incorporation  of  the  Mohawk 
Turnpike  and  Bridge  Company  was 
granted  by  the  Legislature  of  New  York 
State.  On  April  5,  1800,  an  Act  amend- 
atory to  this  Act  was  passed.  This 
was  the  first  chartered  turnpike  in  New 
York  State.  It  commenced  at  Schenectady, 
and  ran  through  Amsterdam,  Palatine 
Bridge,  Little  Falls  to  Utica. 

Numerous  productions  from  these  two 
rival  presses  must   have  appeared,  besides 

II 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

the  weekly  papers  during  these  few  years; 
but  all  we  find  is  a  small  quarto  pamphlet 
of  23  pages,  by  Jonas  Piatt,  without  title 
page,  but  with  the  heading,  "  To  the 
People  of  Oneida  County,"  and  beginning 
"The  unfortunate  controversy  about  a 
Court  House  which  has  destroyed  your 
political  harmony,  and  disturbed  your  in- 
dividual repose,  is  again  about  to  be  re- 
newed." It  further  contained  a  letter 
addressed  to  Col.  Sanger  and  Thomas  B. 
Gold,  Esquires,  with  their  replies,  and 
was  signed  and  dated  on  page  20,  "Jonas 
Piatt,  October  ist,  1800."  This  remnant 
is  preserved  in  the  Lenox  Library,  in  New 
York,  city,  and  was  doubtless  printed  by 
William  McLean  at  his  Utica  press.  He 
had  married  Thomas  Williams*  eldest 
daughter,  Sukey,  the  year  before  he  re- 
moved to  Utica,  and  was  consequently 
William  Williams'  brother-in-law,  though 
twelve  years  his  senior.  Boys  in  those 
days  learned  to  earn  a  living    before   the 

12 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


present  age  for  going  to  boarding-school, 
and  we  find  young  William  following  his 
new  brother  to  Utica  in  1800.  As  he 
says,  later  in  life,  writing  to  his  son  in 
1839,  *' I  formed  my  stiff  handwriting  at 
the  printing  office  before  I  was  thirteen." 
McLean's  paper  continued  until  February, 
1803,  when  he  sold  it  to  John  H.  Lath- 
rop,  who  named  it  the  Patriot,  and 
contracted  to  have  it  printed  by  Merrell 
&  Seward,  men  who  had  been  with  Mc- 
Lean while  printing  the  old  paper.  Mr. 
Seward,  born  in  1781,  had  served  his  ap- 
prenticeship with  the  famous  printer, 
Isaiah  Thomas,  in  Boston,  returned  to 
Utica,  where  his  father  had  settled  in 
1792,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  took 
up  business  for  himself.  He  kept  young 
Williams  at  his  apprenticeship  up  to  the 
year  1807,  when  his  name  appeared  as  a 
partner  in  the  printing  shop,  which  for 
several  years  was  run  separately  from  the 
extensive  book-store  of  A.  Seward. 

13 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

In  i8i2  Mr.  Seward  married  Martha, 
older  sister  of  William  Williams,  and  so, 
for  the  second  time,  he  was  at  work  in 
the  establishment  of  a  brother-in-law; 
the  former  one  having  been  Mr.  McLean, 
who,  after  selling  out  his  business,  moved 
to  Vernon,  N.  Y.,  and  entered  the  tannery 
with  his  father-in-law,  Thomas  Williams. 
The  earliest  dated  book  or  pamphlet 
with  a  title  page  printed  in  Utica,  was 
"  A  Vindication  of  the  Measures  of  the 
Present  Administration  by  Algernon  Sid- 
ney (Gideon  Granger).  "  Where  liberty 
dwells,  there  is  my  country,"  Utica,  print- 
ed by  Thomas  Walker,  June,  1803.  The 
output  of  the  press  of  Merrell  &  Seward, 
and  later  Asahel  Seward,  until,  in  1807 
the  new  firm's  name  was  Seward  and 
Williams,  was  varied  and  numerous,  and 
exhibited  much  of  the  handiwork  and  type- 
setting of  the  apprentice,  William  Wil- 
liams. From  the  ages  of  thirteen  to 
twenty  he  assiduously  mastered  his  trade, 

14 


VINDICATION 


OF   THE 


MEASURES 


OP  THS 


PRESENT  ADMINISTRATION'. 


By  ALGERNON  SIDNEY. 


"  Where  Liberty  dtuellsu,*JJiereh  "my  country.^^ 


UTICA  : 
Printed  by  THOMAS  WALKER. 

jFune — 1803. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

which  showed  itself  in  his  later  work  as 
printer,  book-binder,  wood-cutter,  book- 
seller and  editor;  a  natural  evolution  of 
the  self-made  man  who  did  whatever  ne- 
cessity required  to  keep  his  business  ad- 
vancing. 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

1803 

THE  PATRIOT— Volume  i.  Number  i,  Utica, 
February  1803.  John  H.  Lathrop,  Editor. 
Merrell   &  Seward,  Printers,  Issued  Weekly. 

Mr.  Lathrop  was  a  classmate  of  President  Backus  in  Yale 
College. 

THE  NEW  ENGLAND  PRIMER.    Utica,  1803. 

Advertised  "Just  printed  and  for  sale"  in  the  September 
19th  1803  issue  of  the  Patriot,  6  cents  each,  50  cents  per 
dozen.  Probably  printed  in  Boston,  with  Merrell  &  Seward 
on  title  page. 

ALMANAC  for  1804,  Utica,  1804,  Merrell 
&  Seward. 

Advertised  in  the  Patriot,  October  31,  1803. 

Daniel  Morris  established  a  book-bindery  on  April  iSthof 
this  year.  A.  Seward  opened  his  "Adventure  Book  Store" 
on  November  2nd,  in  the  store  lately  occupied  by  Talcott 
Camp,  and  on  November  21st,  George  Richards  opened  the 
"Oneida  Book  Store  "at  the  store  lately  occupied  by  Bryan 
Johnson.  In  his  catalogue  he  referred  to  his  territory  for 
selling  as  "Albany  on  the  East  and  Louisiana  on  the  West." 

On  October  loth,  Samuel  Wells  died  at  New  Hartford  at 
the  age  of  41  years.  He  was  the  proprietor  of  the  first  news- 
paper established  in  Whitestown  ;  the  executor  and  admin- 
istratrix of  his  estate  were  Richard  Sanger  and  Dolly  Wells. 
He  was  the  father  of  Mr.  Williams's  future  wife,  Sophia 
Wells. 

The  December  5th  number  of  the  Patriot  was  printed  on 
small  paper  as  the  "large  paper  did  not  arrive." 

On  December  12th,  A.  Seward  started  his  circulating 
library  at  his  store. 

18 


A 

Concise  Crtraft. 


trom  thk 


SEA    JOURNAL 

o  r 

WILLIAM  MOULTON; 


VTRITTBN  OV  BOARS  Ot 

THE  ONI  CO. 

IN  A  VOYAGE  FROM  THX  FORT  OF 

NEW-LONDON  IN  CONNECTICUT, 

T    O 

STATEN-LAND  IN  THE  SOUTH^EAj 

TOGCTHERXrXTtt 

STRICTURES  AND  REMARKS 

OV  VARIOUS  SUBJECT  MATTERS  WHICH  CAMS  WITHIN  Hit  NOTtCff 
OK  THE 

COAST  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA, 

AVD  AT  A  VARIETY  OF  ISLANDS 
IN    THE 

SOUTH  SEA  AND  PACIFIC  OCEAN, 

IN  THX  YEARS, 

1799,  1800,  1801,  1802,  1803  and  1804. 


COPT-RIGHT  SECURED  ACCORDING  TO  LAW. 


PRINTED  AT  UTICA.  FOR  THE  AUTHOR  t 
1804. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

1804 

A  CONCISE  EXTRACT  FROM  THE  SEA 
JOURNAL  OF  WILLIAM  MOULTON.  Written 

ON  BOARD    OF   THE    OnICO.       In  A  VoYAGE  FROM  THE 

Port  of  New  London  in  Connecticut  to  Staten- 
Land  in  the  South  Sea,  &c.  1799,  1800,  1801, 
1802,  1803,  1804.  Copy-Right  Secured  Accord- 
ing TO  Law.  Printed  at  Utica,  for  the  Author, 
1804. 

158  pp.  and  I  p.  of  Errata,  410. 

Although  the  printers  are  not  stated  it  was  doubtless 
printed  by  Merrell  &  Seward,  as  it  is  advertised  in  the  May 
27th,  1805,  number  of  the  Patriot  "  By  a  Utica  Printer. "  75 
cents  each  ;  in  dozen  lots,  69  cents  each.  No  mention  of  it 
is  in  the  Columbian  Gazette  of  same  date.  The  paper  is 
the  same  used  by  Seward  in  "Experience  of  William  Keith, 
1806."  Also  some  pamphlets  printed  by  him  in  1803  use 
"Printed  for  the  author,"  with  no  name. 

Dr.  Bagg  in  his  "Pioneers"  says  it  was  printed  by  Mer- 
rell &  Seward. 

AMERICAN  SELECTIONS  of  Lessons  in 
Reading  and  Speaking  by  Noah  Webster.  Utica, 
Merrell  &  Seward,  1804. 

This  is  advertised  in  the  August  1 6th  issue  of  the  Pfl/r/o^ 
In  January,  Whiting  Goodrich    &  Co.,  staned  a  book- 
store and  advertised  a  "Life  of  Washington." 

ALMANAC  for  1805.  Merrell  &  Seward, 
Utica. 

On  January  3,  1804,  B.  Merrell,  auctioneer,  advertised 
in  the  Patriot  to  sell  a  handsome  collection  of  books  at  auc- 
tion. 

On  February  6,  1804,  occurred  a  serious  fire  at  Post  & 
Hamilton's  store,  and  in  that  number  of  the  Patriot  they 
thanked  the  "  Fire  Co. "  and  citizens  for  aid.  So  there  must 
have  been  a  Fire  Company  in  this  year. 

21 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

On  Februar)'  27,  1804,  is  an  advertisement  for  "Peter 
Edwards  on  Infant  Baptism."  No  printer's  name  men- 
tioned. 

1805 

A  SPELLING  BOOK  by  Noah  Webster.  Utica, 
Merrell  &  Seward,  1805. 

Advertised  in  June  loth,  1805,  Patriot  as  the  "First 
Utica  Edition. "  Notice  was  given  in  August  16,  1804,  Pa- 
/no/ that  "Noah  Webster  assigned  right  to  print  Webster's 
Spelling  Book  to  Ebenezer  Belden  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  at  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  in  territory  Westward  of  Albany";  and  on 
February  4,  1805,  Mr.  Belden  transfers  for  $1,200  privilege 
to  print  it  in  Utica  to  Asahel  Seward  of  Whitestown.  In 
presence  of  D.  W.  Childs  is  the  contract  drawn  up  and  signed. 
Numerous  editions  were  printed  at  his  press  in  succeeding 
years  and  sold  in  wholesale  lots  in  adjacent  towns  for  their 
schools. 

On  May  15th,  Thomas  Cornwall  advertised  his  new  book- 
store at  New  Hartford. 

ALMANAC  for  1806.  Merrell  &  Seward, 
Utica. 

On  August  19th,  the  last  number  of  the  Patriot  was  printed 
by  Merrell  &  Seward;  on  August  26th,  Ira  Merrell's  name  ap- 
peared alone  as  printer.  Mr.  Seward  dissolved  partnership 
with  Mr.  Ira  Merrell  and  did  not  take  up  the  printing  of  a 
newspaper  again  until  January  5,  1815,  with  Mr.  Williams. 
In  181 1,  Merrell  &  Camp  succeed  Ira  Merrell  in  printing  the 
Patriot. 

1806 

THIRD  PART  OF  NOAH  WEBSTER'S  New 
Edition  American  Selections.  Utica,  Asahel 
Seward,  1806. 

Advertised  in  January  13th  number  of  the  Patriot. 

22 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

THE  PLAIN  TRUTH  Respecting  Church 
Government  by  Elijah  Norton.  Utica,  Asahel 
Seward,  1806. 

Advertised  in  February  17th  number  of  the  Patriot,  and 
sold  at  I  cent  each,  or  9  cents  per  dozen. 

THE  EXPERIENCE  OF  WILLIAM  KEITH 
(Written  by  Himself)  together  with  some  Ob- 
servations Conclusive  of  Divine  Influence  on 
the  Human  Mind  of  Man.  Utica,  Printed  by 
Asahel  Seward,  1806. 

Small  8vo.,  23  pp. 

AN  ACT  to  Organize  the  Militia  of  the  State 
OF  New  York.     Utica,  A.  Seward,   1806. 

Advertised  June  24th  in  the  Patriot  and  for  sale  at  the 
Patriot's  shop. 

A  DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTERFEIT  BILLS. 
Utica,  A.  Seward,  1806. 

Advertised  as  "just  published"  on  July  2nd  in  the  Patriot. 

THE  GAMUT,  or  Scale  of  Music,  by  William 
Ward.     Utica,   A.    Seward,    1806. 

Advertised  in  the  October  14th  number  of  the  Patriot. 
On  the  2ist  of  October  the  Patriot  states:  "Asahel  Seward 
(late  of  Merrell  &  Seward)  has  opened  anew  book  printing 
house  and  bindery  one  door  from  the  Coffee  House  on  Gene- 
see Street."  On  September  15th,  the  "Utica  Book  Store" 
or  "Seward's"  was  also  removed  to  "next  door  to  the  Post 
Office." 

The  City  of  Utica  received  its  second  charter  in  1806. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  1807.     Utica,  A.  Seward. 

Advertised  in  the  October  21st    number  of  the  Patriot. 
On  November  4th,  Mr.  Seward  advertised  in  the  Patriot 

23 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

a  proposal  to  publish  by  subscription  "Richard  Cumber- 
land." He  asked  for  final  call  on  April  7,  1807.  As  no 
advertisement  of  this  book  appeared  in  the  columns  of  the 
Patriot  during  1807,  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  was  ever  pub- 
lished by  this  press. 

A  VIEW  OF  ECCLESIASTICAL  PROCEED- 
INGS IN  THE  County  of  Windham,  Connecticut, 
BY  John  Sherman,  A.B.,  Minister  of  the  Re- 
formed Church,  Trenton,  N.  Y.  Utica,  A. 
Seward,    1806. 

Advertised  in  the  December  gth  number  of  the  Pa- 
triot and  may  bear  date  of  1807  (a  custom  often  in  vogue 
where  a  book  was  published  so  near  the  end  of  the  year); 
for  sale  at  the  "Oneida  (Richard's)  Book  Store,"  and  the 
"Utica"  (Seward's)  store.  On  December  30th,  he  adver- 
tised in  the  Patriot  "Circulating  Library  and  custom  print- 
ing at  the  New  Book  Store  of  Mr.  A.  Seward." 

1807 

AMERICAN  SELECTIONS  of  Lessons  in 
Reading  and  Speaking,  by  Noah  Webster, 
Second  Edition.     Utica,  Asahel  Seward,  1807. 

In  the  January  27th  number  of  the  Patriot  he  advertised 
"Just  received  from  the  press  of  Isaiah  Thomas,  Jr.,  of 
Worcester,  Mass.,  and  for  sale  at  Seward's  book-store  'A 
Vision  of  John  Sherman.'  Price  15  cents."  March  17th  he 
advertised  in  the  Patriot  "Orders  for  furnishing  Bands  with 
instruments  will  be  met  with  due  attention  by  A.  Seward." 
July  27th  an  advertisement  appeared  in  the  Patriot  as  follows : 
"  Books  and  other  printing  in  all  its  variety  executed  with 
neatness,  accuracy  and  despatch  by  Seward  and  Williams, 
who  have  lately  received  considerable  addition  to  their  of- 
fice." This  was  the  first  mention  of  the  new  partnership  when 
William  Williams  became  a  member  of  the  printing  estab- 
lishment. It  was  several  years  later  before  he  was  taken 
into  partnership  in  the  book-store.     He  reached  his  twen- 

24 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

tieth  birthday  on  the  12th  or  the  following  October  and  was 
old  enough  now  to  have  a  hnancial  interest. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Almanac 
FOR  1808.     Utica,   Seward  and   Williams,    1808. 

Advertised  in  the  November  3rd  number  of  the  Patriot, 
with  the  first  appearance  in  print  of  the  new  firm's  name. 

A  REPRESENTATION  OF  THE  NATURE  OF 
TRUE  RELIGION,  Addressed  to  a  Lady— To 
Which  is  Added  a  Short  Explanation  of  the 
End  and  Design  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  Taken 
from  a  Treatise  on  the  Subject.  Utica,  A.  Sew- 
ard, 1807. 

Advertised  as  "just  published  by  A.  Seward"  in  the  De- 
cember 15th  number  of  the  Patriot  and  probably  was  dated 
1808.  December  22nd,  an  advertisement  appeared  "A  Few 
gross  of  Press  Papers,  Holland  Quills,  Nevtton's  patent  med- 
icines, Essence  of  Tansey  and  Peppermint,  Elixir  of  Health, 
Itch  Ointment,  Tooth  and  Ear-Ache  Tincture,  Eye-Wa- 
ter,  &c.   &c." 

1808 

LETTERS  ADDRESSED  TO  REV.  SAMUEL 
MILLER,  D.D.  in  Reply  to  His  Letters  Con- 
cerning the  Constitution  and  Order  of  the 
Christian  Ministry;  by  Thomas  Y.  How.  Utica, 
Published  and  Printed  by  Seward  and  Wil- 
liams, 1808.  One  Door  East  of  the  Coffee 
House,  Genesee  Street. 

Pp.  124,  8vo.  Advertised  in  the  January  26th  number 
of  the  Patriot  at  50  cents  each. 

^^  THE  REV.  MR.  CARNAHAN'S  DISCOURSE. 
"Defense  of  Christianity  Against  the  Cavils  of 
Infidels  and  Weariness  of  Enthusiasts."  Ser- 
mon Preached  May  15TH  1808  at  the  First  Pres- 

25 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

BYTERIAN    ChURCH,  UtICA,  N.  Y.      UtICA,  SeWARD 

&  Williams,  1808. 

Appeared  in  the  June  14th  number  of  the  Patriot.  Sewed, 
32  pp.,  8vo.,  25  cents  each. 

MASONRY  IN  ITS  PURITY.  A  Sermon, 
Preached  in  Brookfield,  N.  Y.,  June  24,  1808  by 
Ebner  Cowles,  R.  a.  C.  Utica,  Seward  &  Wil- 
liams, 1808. 

Notice  of  July  iSthin  the  Patriot,     izmo,  12^  cents  each. 

ETERNAL  ELECTION,  by  Elijah  Norton, 
Plainfield,  N.  Y.  Utica,  Seward  &  Williams, 
1808. 

Notice  in  the  Patriot  of  July  l8th. 

AMERICAN  SELECTIONS  in  Reading  and 
Speaking  by  Noah  Webster,  Third  Edition. 
Utica,  Seward  &  Williams,  1808. 

In  November  29th  number  of  the  Patriot,  George  Richards 
at  the  Oneida  book-store  advertised  "Biographical  Memoirs 
of  George  Washington. "  Probably  Ramsay's  life  of  Wash- 
ington, and  very  doubtful  if  it  was  printed  in  Utica. 

In  1808  Ira  Merrell  published  a  Welsh  Hymn  Book  at 
the  Patriot  Press. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Al- 
manack, for  the  Year  of  Our  Lord,  1809:  Be- 
ing THE  First  after  Bissextile,  or  Leap  Year. 
Fitted  for  the  Meridian  of  Utica,  North  Lati- 
tude 43°  10  ' — West  Longitude  74°  56'.  By  An- 
drew Beers,  Philom Utica:     Printed  and 

Sold  by  Seward  and  Williams.  Sold  Also  by 
Myron  Holley  and  J.  D.  Bemis,  Canandaigua. 
James  Bogart  &  Co.  Geneva,  and  L.  Kellogg 
Manlius.  Great  Allowance  made  to  Whole- 
sale Purchasers. 

26 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


In  a  November  number  of  the  Patriot  it  said  that  on 
December  6th  A.  Seward  removed  his  book-store  to  store 
owned  by  Lothrop  &  Kirkland,  "Having  purchased  a 
Rhobotham's  Patent  ruHng  machine,  he  will  rule  and  bind 
books  to  any  order." 

It  was  this  year  that  William  Williams 
started  to  manufacture  the  paper  upon 
which  the  firm  printed.  It  was  done  at 
a  small  factory  at  Walesville,  N.  Y.,  not 
far  from  Utica.  It  was  a  thin,  tough, 
rag  paper,  and  the  bank  bills  of  the  Utica 
banks  were  printed  upon  it  later,  as  well 
as  many  books. 

William  Williams'  religious  nature  was 
very  strongly  developed  in  early  life,  and 
in  July,  1808,  he  joined  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Utica,  then  run  in  con- 
junction with  the  New  Hartford  Church, 
as  it  was  not  until  several  years  later,  in 
181  3,  that  they  had  their  own  pastor. 

Letters  written  July  ii,  and  Septem- 
ber 4,  1808,*  to  his  sister  Martha  and 
his  brother  John  indicated  his  deep  relig- 
ious feeling. 

*Appendix  IV. 

27 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 
1809 

MAP  OF  THE  TOWN  OF  WHITESTOWN, 
Oneida  County,  N.  Y.  Taken  from  Survey  by 
Peleg  Gifford.     Utica,  A.   Seward,   1809, 

Advertisement  of  February  7th  in  the  Patriot.  On  the 
proceeding  January  31st  he  extended  his  circulating  Library. 

THE  CONSTITUTIONS  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES  AND  New  York  State.  (On  Account 
OF  War  Talk  and  Trouble).  Utica,  Seward 
AND  Williams,  1809. 

Advertisement  of  February  28th  in  the  Patriot. 

NEW  MILITIA  ACT,  with  Amendment  of  Last 
Session.     Utica,  Seward    &  Williams,  1809. 

Advertised  on  July  25th  in  the  Patriot  as  "New  Supply," 
and  no  doubt  printed  by  them.  On  this  date  the  "Patriot 
printing  shop  was  moved  to  the  first  door  below  Post  Of- 
fice." On  July  loth  Mr.  Richards  sold  out  the  "Oneida 
Book  Store  "  and  left  the  city. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR    or  Utica  Almanac 
for  1810.     Utica,  Seward  &  Williams. 
Advertisement  in  the  Patriot  of  October  loth. 

SUICIDE  OF  THE  WIFE  OF  THOMAS  KING, 
of  Sangerfield,  N.  Y.  (Second  Edition)  Utica, 
Seward  &  Williams,  1809. 

Advertised  October  loth  in  the  Patriot  "For  sale  at  this 
office." 

181O 

THE  WANDERER  OF  SWITZERLAND  and 
Other  Poems  by  James  Montgomery.  Orna- 
mented WITH  Engravings  on  Wood  by  William 
Williams. 

28 


THE 

IVANDERER 

OF 

SWITZERLAND, 

AKD 

OTHER  POEMS, 

BY 

JAMES  MOKTGOMERYx 


OKNAMEKTED  WITH  ENGRAVINGS  ON  WOOD. 

By  Willicnn  WilliavM. 

*'  Though  long  of  winds  and  waves  the  sportj 
"  Condemn'd  in  wretchedness  to  roam, 
"  LIVE  1— thou  shall  find  a  sheltering^  port, 
"A  quiet  home.'' 


UttCd: 


PRINTED    AND    PUBLISHES 
BY  SEWARD  AND  WILLIAMS. 

1810. 


DIVINE    SONGS, 

ATTEMPTED    IK 

EASY  LANGUAGE, 

FOR   THE   USB   OP 

CHILDREN. 
By  I.  WATTS,  D.  D. 


Out  of  the  mouth  of  Babes  and  Sucklinga 
thou  hast  perfected  Praise.— >M.dX.  xxL  16' 


lllrtca : 

Printed  and  Sold  by  Seward  and  Williams. 
1810. 


Title  page  of  Divine  Songs.     Utica,  1810,  with  wood  cut, 
by  William  Williams. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

"Though  long  of  Winds  and  Waves  the  Sport, 
"Condemn'd  in  Wretchedness  to  roam, 
"LIVE!     Thou  shalt  find   a   sheltering, 
A  quiet  Lane." 

Utica,  Printed  and  Published  by  Seward  and 
Williams,  i8io. 

Small  8vo.,  io8  pp. 

The  first  American  from  the  second  London  edition  of 
Montgomery's  "Wanderer"  had  been  printed  by  N.  S. 
Stansburg,  in  Water  Street,  N.  Y.,  in  1807,  with  a  copper- 
plate frontispiece. 

DIVINE  SONGS,  Attempted  in  Easy  Language 
FOR  THE  Use  of  Children,  by  I.  Watts,  D.D, 
"Out  of  the  mouths  of  Babes  and  Sucklings, 
Thou  hast  perfected  Praise." 

Matthew  XXI,  16. 
Utica,  Printed  and  Sold  by  Seward   &  Wil- 
liams, 1810. 

MORAL  SONGS,  Attempted  in  Easy  Language 
FOR  THE  Use  of  Children,  by  I.  Watts,  D.D. 
"Out  of  the  mouths  of  Babes  and  Sucklings, 
Thou  hast  perfected  Praise." 

Matthew  XXI,  16 

To  Which  are  Added  the  Principles  of  the 
Christian  Religion,  Expressed  in  Plain  and 
Easy  Verse.  By  P.  Doddridge,  D.D.  Utica, 
Printed  and  Sold  by  Seward  and  Williams,  1810. 

Each  of  these  Watts'  productions  contains  36  pages,  and 
are  bound  together.  Different  title  pages  and  separately 
paged.  The  "Principles"  by  Doddridge  begin  at  page  15 
of  the  second  collection.  The  numerous  wood-cuts  are  by 
William  Williams,  as  they  are  mostly  the  same  as  appear  in 
the  "Wanderer  of  Switzerland." 

33 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

DIVINE  SONGS  AND  MORAL  SONGS  by 
I.  Watts,  D.D.  and  Principles  of  Christian  Re- 
ligion Added  by  P.  Doddridge,  D.D.  Published 
and  Sold  by  Seward  &  Williams,  Utica,  i8io. 

This  is  evidently  the  second  edition.  The  two  title  pages 
of  the  first  Utica  edition  are  combined,  and  the  pages  are 
numbered  throughout.  72  pp.  No  cut  of  a  bee-hive  ap- 
peared on  the  title  as  in  the  first  Utica  edition.  Page  37  is 
blank  with  same  wood-cut  on  verso  of  page  37  as  in  the  earl- 
ier edition.  The  wood-cuts  are  all  by  Williams  as  in  the 
former  edition.  The  bee-hive  cut  appeared  in  "Wanderer" 
of  1811. 

THE  NEW  ENGLAND  PRIMER  Improved. 
For  More  Easy  Attaining  the  True  Reading  of 
English.  To  Which  Is  Added  the  Assembly  of 
Divines  and  the  Episcopal  Catechism.  Printed 
BY  Seward   &  Williams,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  18 10. 

72  pp.     A  copy  in  the  Lenox  Library. 

The  wood-cuts  in  this  edition  of  the 
"New  England  Primer'*  were  the  work  of 
WilHam  Williams  without  doubt,  as  the 
two  tail-pieces  appear  as  his  work  in  other 
publications  of  1 8 1  o  and  1 8 1 1 .  (See  page 
6 1  of  the  **  Wanderer."  Utica,  Seward 
&  Williams,  1 8 1  o.)  The  first  set  of  Al- 
phabet cuts  (see  illustrations)  were  prob- 
ably his  own  design  as  well  as  execution. 
The  cuts  with  verses  and  the  John  Rogers 
cut  are  reproductions  from  the  New  Eng- 

34 


7HE 

NEWENGLAND 

PRIMER 

IMPROVED, 

For  the  more  easy  attambig  the  true 
Reading  of  English, 

TO   VKICH    IS   ADDEI>, 

THE  ASSEMBLY  OF  DIVINES' 
AND  THE  EPISCOPAL 

CATECHISMS. 


UTICA,  (N.  Y.) 

TRf NTED   BV   SEWAKD   AND  WILLIAMS 
1810. 


[  *  ] 

A  D 


Bell 


Awl  Duck 

B  E 


Fan 


Alphabet  Wood  Cuts  engraved  by  William  Williams. 
36 


[    s    ] 

G  J 


Gun 


Jews -harp 


H 


Hou 


se 


Ink-stand 


Lion 


A2 


Alphabet  Wood  Cuts  engraved  by  William  Williams. 


37 


£    6    J 


Owl 


Rose 


Alphabet  Wood  Cuts  engraved  by  William  Williams. 
38 


[  ^  J 


Vise 


Tab 


Window 


Umbrella 


XeriLCS 


Alphabet  Wood  Cuts  engraved  by  William  Williams. 

39 


[     B     ] 


Yoke 


Zebra 


Duty  of  Children  towards  their  Fare?its. 

GOD  hath  commanded,  saying, 
Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mot/i- 
cr,  and  he  that  curseth  father  and  mother 
let  him  die  the  death.     Matt.  xv.  4. 

Children,  obey  your  parents,  in  the 
JLord,  for  this  is  right,     Eph.  vi.  1. 

GOD  is  in  every  place ;  He  speaks 
in  every  sound  we  hear;  He  is  seen 
in  all  that  our  eyes  behold  :  nothing, 
O  child  of  reason,  is  without  God  ;— 
let  Go  D  therefore  be  in  all  thy  thoughts. 


Alphabet  Wood  Cuts  engraved  by  William  Williams. 


40 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

land  editions,  but  the  slight  variations 
indicate  they  were  re-cut  by  William 
Williams  himself. 

On  February  14,  1810,  appeared  an  advertisement  in 
the  Patriot  as  follows:  "Henderson  Armour  &  Company  of 
Montreal  and  William  Henderson  of  Quebec.  Signed 
R.  Armour,  partner  of  above.  Prices  of  produce:  Wheat, 
$1.70  per  bushel.  Flour,  $10.00  per  barrel.  Pork,  S20.00 
per  barrel.  P.  S.  For  information  as  to  our  responsibil- 
ity refer  to  J.  J.  Astor,  Esq.,  merchant,  New  York  City." 

This  year  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  was  elected  Governor  of 
New  York  State,  John  Browne,  Lieutenant-Governor. 

A.  Seward  was  agent  for  periodicals  and  a  book  called 
"Smirk's  Military  Maneuvers." 

Monday,  September  loth  a  Welsh  Society  was  formed  in 
Utica 

November  27th  the  Oneida  Bible  Society  was  formed  at 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Utica  ;  T.  Piatt,  President, 
Nathan  Williams  one  of  the  Trustees.  James  Carnahan, 
Secretary. 

Saturday  December  10,  1810,  "Castle  Williams"  on 
Governor's  Island,  N.  Y.,  was  so  called  from  the  head  of  the 
U.  S.  Corps  of  Engineers,  Jonathan  Williams. 

AMERICAN  SELECTIONS  of  Lessons  in 
Reading  and  Speaking  Calculated  to  Improve 
THE  Minds  and  Refine  the  Tastes  of  Youth,  to 
Which  are  Prefixed  Rules  in  Elocution  and 
Directions  for  Expressing  the  Passions  of  the 
Mind.  By  Noah  Webster.  5TH  Edition.  Utica, 
Seward  &  Williams,  1810. 

1-226.2  Contents. 

The  First  Utica  Edition  was  1804. 

FARMERS'   CALENDAR    or   Utica  Almanac 
for  181 1,     Utica,  Seward  &  Williams. 
Advertised  in  a  November  number  of  the  Patriot. 

41 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

A  most  interesting  incident  in  William 
Williams'  early  achievements  was  his 
learning  the  art  of  wood  engraving.  This 
art  had  only  recently  been  introduced  into 
this  country  by  Dr.  Alexander  Anderson, 
who  printed  his  first  wood  block  in  1796. 
He  was  aroused  by  the  work  being  done 
in  England  by  Bewick,  who  revived  the 
art  of  wood-cut  prints  in  Europe.  Where 
William  Williams  could  have  learned  the 
art  must  remain  a  conjecture.  Mr.  Rush 
C.  Hawkins,  of  New  York,  in  a  letter  to 
the  Hon.  Horatio  Seymour,  of  Utica, 
dated  New  York,  August  31,  1880,  after 
having  come  across  a  copy  of  the  "Wan- 
derer," published  by  Seward  and  Williams, 
Utica,  181  I,  in  which  the  wood-cuts  of 
William  Williams  appear  under  his  own 
name,  writes:  "I  am  convinced  that  it 
is  an  exceedingly  rare  specimen  of  the 
printing  of  your  town  ;  two  of  the  four 
engravings  are  rather  good,  both  as  to 
design  and  workmanship.     Williams  dur- 

42 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


ing  his  time  must  have  ranked  next  to 
Anderson,  and  was  quite  likely  the  third 
engraver  upon  wood  in  this  country." 
Anderson's  earliest  pupil  was  Garret  Lan- 
sing, of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  who  began  work- 
ing in  1804,  and  was  the  second  wood 
engraver  in  this  country.  Did  William 
Williams  teach  himself,  or  did  he  pick  it 
up  during  his  visit  to  Albany,  which  oc- 
curred this  year?  If  he  did  it  would 
seem  natural  for  him  to  make  some  men- 
tion of  it  in  the  "Journal"*  which  he  kept 
in  March,  18 10,  but  no  mention  is  made 
of  the  subject  even.  Mr.  Benjamin  Los- 
sing,  in  his  interesting  book  on  Alexander 
Anderson,  mentions  all  the  wood  en- 
gravers known  in  this  country  at  the  time, 
but  no  mention  is  made  of  Williams'  work. 
All  the  cuts  in  **The  Wanderer  in  Switz- 
erland" were  tail-pieces,  many  of  which 
were  used  in  i  8 1 5  as  adornments  of  the 
fractional  bank  notes  issued   by    the  cor- 

*Appendix  V 
43 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

poration  of  the  City  of  Utica,  such  as 
the  two  cupids  on  the  3-cent  fractional 
currency,  and  the  farm-house  on  the  i  2^ 
cent  piece.  On  the  title  page  of  **  Divine 
Songs"  is  the  bee-hive  cut,  one  of  the 
finest;  later  the  full-page  cut  of  Minerva 
surrounded  by  the  Emblems  of  Learning. 
In  the  "Horatio  and  Laetitia"  are  two 
full-page  cuts,  one  of  which  is  a  frontis- 
piece of  "  Cupid  Wrestling  with  and 
Overcoming  Pan.  Allegorical  of  the 
Power  of  Love  over  chaotic  nature,"  as 
Anderson  mentions  in  his  diary  for  Jan- 
uary 26,  1796,  having  made  it  for  Dr. 
Mitchell.  The  cut  is  not  a  copy  but  the 
same  subject,  and  may  have  been  suggested 
to  Mr.  Williams  by  something  he  had 
seen  or  heard  of  in  Anderson's  work.  In 
1824  we  find  a  wood-cut  book  label  for 
his  eldest  son,  Samuel  W.  Williams,  by 
Mr.  Williams'  own  hand. 


44 


Frontispiece  Wood  Cut  by  William  Williams, 
"The  Wanderer."     Utica,  1811. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 
181I 

THE  WANDERER :  or  Horatio  and  Laetitia. 
A  Poem  in  Five  Epistles. 

Awake,   asleep,   where'er   I    roam 
My  mind  still  seeks  its  secret  home 
And  longs  from  wilds  and  crowds  to  flee 
To  dwell  with  happiness  and  thee. 

LAKE. 

Utica.  Printed  for  the  Authors  by  Seward  & 
Williams,  181  i. 

4to  138  pp. 

It  is  stated  at  the  end  of  the  book  that  the  wood-cuts  are 
engraved  by  William  Williams. 

The  authors  were  Douglas  Brothers  of  Pratt's  Settle- 
ment, N.  Y.,  and  were  personally  known  to  Mr.  A.  G.  Dauby, 
the  Editor  of  the  Utica  Observer.  Dr.  Bagg  asserts  the 
author  of  "Horatio  and  Laetitia  "  was  Mr.  T.  A.  Rockwell. 
At  the  end  was  printed  the  "Vales  of  Peace." 

POPE'S  ESSAY  ON  MAN.  In  Four  Epistles 
TO  H.  St.  John  Bolingbroke,  by  Alexander  Pope, 
EsQ^.  Utica — Printed  and  Published  by  Seward 
&  Williams,  181  i. 

At  the  back  of  the  book  is  printed  a  hymn  called  The  Uni- 
versal Prayer,  also  Part  of  the  Ten  Commandments;  a 
Hymn  by  Dr.  Watts,  and  an  obituary  of  a  young  girl.  8vo, 
^l   pages. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  SABBATARIANS,  or 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  America,  Containing 
Their  Use  and  Progress  to  the  Year  181  i  with 
Their  Leaders'  Names  and  Their  Distinguish- 
ing Tenets,  by  Henry  Clarke,  of  Brookfield, 
Madison  County. 

"Prove  all  things,  hold  fast  all  that  is  good." 

St.  Paul 

47 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Utica,  N.  Y.  Printed  for  the  Author  by 
Seward  &  Williams,  i8ii. 

12010,196  pp.,  including  4  pp.  List  of  Subscribers,  i  p. 
Index,  I  p.  Errata. 

This  was  the  year  that  the  first  steamboat  was  run  in  the 
United  States  and  the  Erie  Canal  was  being  talked  of. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Al- 
manac, FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  18 12.  Utica. 
Printed  by  Seward  &  Williams. 

Printed  November  i,  1811,  and  advertised  in  the  Pa- 
triot on  that  date. 

It  was  on  November  5th  of  this  year 
that  William  Williams  was  married  to 
Sophia  Wells,  who  had  been  attending  a 
young  ladies'  school  at  Hartford,  Connec- 
ticut, in  1803.  When  her  father  died  in 
New  Hartford,  on  October  loth,  that 
year,  she  was  not  quite  thirteen  years  old. 
In  the  "  Journal"  Mr.  Williams  mentions 
meeting  her  at  Hartford  in  1 8 1  o,  where 
she  was  probably  visiting  relatives,  as  her 
father  was  born  there  and  had  removed 
to  New  Hartford  through  his  friendship 
for  the  Sanger  family.  It  was  in  this  year 
that  Dr.  Azel  Backus  was  elected  First 
President  of  Hamilton  College.      He  was 

48 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

a  friend  of  Mr.  Williams,  who  published 
his  sermons  in  1824.  In  1812,  Ira  Mer- 
rell  published  "Inaugural  Address  Deliv- 
ered in  the  Village  of  Clinton,  December 
3rd,  I  81  2,  by  Rev.  Azel  Backus,  D.  D." 

1812 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord,  1813.     Utica, 

PRINTED  BY  SeWARD    &  WiLLIAMS. 

Advertised  as  ready  November    i,    1812,  in  the  Patriot. 

On  March  31st,  Mr.  A.  Seward  advertised  the  "Union 
College  lottery  tickets."  Mr.  Ira  Merrell's  lots  were  seized 
by  the  Sheriff,  December  28th. 

In  the  1811  and  1812  advertisements  in  the  Gazette 
appeared  wood-cuts  by  William  Williams. 

On  November  loth,  Alexander  Smith, 
Brigadier  General,  calledfor  reinforcements 
from  New  York  State  (war  having  been 
declared  in  June).  Camp  was  near  Buf- 
falo. On  the  second  Thursday  in  Novem- 
ber was  a  day  of  prayer  in  churches  for 
the  country.  The  March  loth  number 
of  the  Gazette  yin\2iVgG^  letters,  had  a  notice: 
"  6257  Impressed  Seamen." 

August  I  8th,  the  Gazette  said:  "Silver 
49 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Greys,  commanded  by  Captain  Seward, 
comprising  men  of  pure  American  feel- 
ings and  over  45  years  of  age,  had  been 
drafted  for  the  war." 

September  i,  181  2,  "Military  Review. 
Notice  ! 

The  regimental  review  and  inspection 
of  the  I  3th  Brigade,  commanded  by  Brig. 
General  Oliver  Collins,  will  take  place  as 
follows,  to  wit:  Colonel  Clark,  157th, 
Rome.  Colonel  Barnes,  68th,  Camden. 
Major  Parkhurst's  battalion,  Mexico.  Col- 
onel Stone,  I  34th,  Trenton.  Colonel  Grid- 
ley,  20th,  Clinton.  Colonel  Smith,  140th, 
Bridgewater. 

By  order  Brig.  Major  William  Williams, 
Aid-de-Camp. 

Utica,  August  25th,  I  81  2." 

"  The  officers  and  non-commissioned 
officers  of  the  134th  (Colonel  Stone's)  are 
notified  to  meet  at  New  Hartford  in  uni- 
form and  fire-locks,  August  31st,  1812. 
William  Williams,  Adjutant." 

50 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

The  excitement  caused  by  the  declara- 
tion of  war,  on  June  i8th  of  this  year, 
evidently  accounts  for  the  comparative 
cessation  of  printing  by  this  press.  On 
February  29,  181 2,  Daniel  Tompkins, 
Governor  of  New  York  State,  signed  an 
appointment  of  William  Williams,  of 
Utica,  as  Adjutant  of  the  Regiment  of 
Infantry  of  the  county  of  Oneida,  whereof 
William  Stone  is  Lieutenant  Colonel  Com- 
mandant. It  passed  the  Secretary's  office 
and  was  signed  by  Anthony  Lamb,  March 
18,  1812. 

The  military  spirit  of  his  father  was 
aroused  within  him,  and  although  married 
but  about  six  months  he  prepared  to  re- 
spond to  his  country's  call.  It  was  evi- 
dently not  until  the  following  spring  that 
he  was  ordered  away  from  Utica.  We 
read  in  Thurlow  Weed's  autobiography  : 
"October  12,  181  2,  with  three  dollars  in 
my  pocket  I  started  on  foot  for  Utica  from 
Onondaga,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to 

51 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

get  employment  in  the  printing  establish- 
ment of  Seward  &  Williams.  To  my 
application  for  a  situation  Mr.  Williams, 
after  looking  me  over  somewhat  deliber- 
ately, replied  that  he  had  no  work  for  me, 
but  as  I  was  leaving  the  office,  evidently 
depressed,  and  as  evidently  in  need  of  em- 
ployment, he  called  me  back  and  inquired 
where  I  came  from,  how  old  I  was  and 
why  I  had  not  served  out  my  apprentice- 
ship. My  answers  proving  satisfactory 
he  put  a  composing  stick  in  my  hand, 
placed  some  copy  before  me,  and  in  an 
encouraging  way  remarked  that  he  would 
see  what  I  could  do.  When  he  returned 
two  or  three  hours  later,  he  read  over  the 
matter  that  I  had  been  *  setting  up,'  and 
remarked  kindly  that  I  could  go  with  the 
other  boys  to  supper.  I  was  therefore 
put  to  work  in  the  office  and  domiciled 
in  the  house  of  a  gentleman  (William 
Williams)  who  became,  and  ever  remained 
my  warm  friend,  and  for  whose  memory 

52 


WILLIAM     WILLIAMS 

I  cherish  a  grateful  remembrance.  In 
February,  1813,  an  attack  was  appre- 
hended from  the  British  upon  Sackett's 
Harbor.  It  was  supposed  the  enemy  would 
cross  from  Kingston  on  the  ice.  Volun- 
teers were  called  for.  Utica,  then  a  small 
village,  was  strongly  Federal,  but  though 
opposed  to  the  war  the  Federalists  would 
turn  out  to  repel  invasion.  Mr.  Williams, 
one  of  my  employers,  volunteered  himself 
and  consented  to  my  leaving  the  office 
with  him.  (At  this  time  Williams  was 
26  and  Weed  16  years  old.)  We  left  Utica 
in  sleighs,  and  arrived  at  Adams,  some  80 
miles,  and  1 2  from  Sackett's  Harbor,  in 
two  days. 

Snow  was  deep  and  weather  severe. 
We  had  good  quarters,  however,  and 
passed  our  time  pleasantly  waiting  until 
the  alarm  was  over,  when  we  were  dis- 
charged. My  company  was  commanded 
by  General  Nathan  Seward,  father  of  one 
of  my  employers   (A.  Seward),  a  soldier 

55 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

of  the  Revolution.  Upon  my  return  I 
went  into  Thomas  Walker's  office,  who 
published  the  Republican  paper,  Colum- 
bian Gazetted  This  was  written  in  1845 
by  Thurlow  Weed  from  memory.  He 
further  adds  :  "  Utica  was  a  thrifty  vil- 
lage, and  William  Williams,  Thomas 
Walker,  Samuel  Stocking,  the  Danas, 
Hoyts,  &c.,  &c.,  were  just  the  men  a 
*  pent-up  Utica'  then  required,  and  all,  I 
doubt  not,  still  remembered  for  their  en- 
terprise, public  spirit  and  integrity.  Messrs. 
Williams,  Walker  and  Devereux  subse- 
quently became,  and  to  the  end  of  their  lives 
remained,  my  true  and  sincere  friends.'' 
Mr.  Weed  left  Utica,  October,  181  3.  He 
speaks  of  the  "other  boys"  in  Mr.  Wil- 
liams' house,  where  it  was  customary  to 
have  the  apprentices  live  when  in  his  em- 
ploy. A  long  list  of  able  and  influential 
men  went  out  from  the  printing  office  of 
60  Genesee  Street.  Among  them  were 
James  Garrett,  the  first  missionary  from 

56 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


Oneida  County,  and  Loring  S.  Williams, 
a  missionary  to  the  Choctaw  Indians. 
These  two  were  particularly  influenced  in 
the  choice  of  their  career  by  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams, whose  deep  religious  nature  was 
constantly  influencing  them  for  such  a  life 
while  they  lived  in  her  household.  Also 
George  Wilson,  minister  at  Sackett's  Har- 
bor ;  Alfred  North,  missionary  to  the 
North  American  Indians.  Mr.  Henry  Ivi- 
son,  the  founder  of  the  publishing  house 
of  Ivison,  Blakeman,  Taylor  &  Company, 
of  New  York,  lived  as  an  apprentice  in 
Mr.  Williams'  family  for  eight  years.  Be- 
sides these  were  Stephen  Wells,  George 
Hatch,  C.  W.  Everest,  Chauncey  Dutton, 
R.  B.  Shepard,  Samson,  Webster,  and  Ellis 
H.  Roberts,  the  late  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States;  besides  his  own  elder  sons, 
S.  Wells  Williams  and  W.  F.  Williams 
Mr.  Williams  was  elected  an  elder  in  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Utica,  and 
remained  one   until    1836,  when    he  left 

57 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

the  city  to  live  in  Erie  County,  New  York. 
In  a  letter  to  his  son  Dwight,  from  Ton- 
awanda,  April  5,  1839,  while  he  was  liv- 
ing on  a  farm, he  says:  "The  agricult comes 
out  in  me,  as  I  used  some  skill  in  that 
particular  when  a  soldier  in  181 2.'* 

1813 

AMERICAN  SELECTIONS  of  Speaking  and 
Reading,  by  Noah  Webster.  Sixth  Edition. 
Utica,  Seward  &  Williams,  1813. 

T.  LIVII  PATAVINI  HISTORIARUM  LIBRI 
PRIORES  QUINQUE.     In  Usum  Juventutis  Aca- 

DEMICAE,    UtICAE    ExECUDEBANT    SeWARD    ET    WiL- 

LiAMs,  MDCCCXIII. 
8vo,  285  pp. 

MURRAY'S  READER,  Second  Utica  Edition 
BY  Lindley  Murray.  Utica,  Seward  &  Wil- 
liams, 1813. 

The  First  Utica  edition  was  probably  printed  in  i8l2. 

SPECIMENS  OF  INGENUITY  in  Composi- 
tion AND  Poetry  by  Amos  Taylor,  Humbly 
Submitted  to  the  Learned  and  Pious  for  Cor- 
rection AND  Introduction  into  Private  Schools 
and  Private  Families.  To  Be  used  and  Spoken 
BY  THE  Blooming  Youth  of  America  as  Favorite 
Pieces.     Utica,  Printed  for  the  Author,  18 13. 

No  name  of  printer  was  given  but  it  was  printed  by  Sew- 
ard &  Williams. 

Small  i6mo.     Paper  covers. 

58 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

MORAL  PIECES.  Odes  to  Youth,  Utica,  1813. 

No  printer's  name  was  given  but  it  was  printed  by  Sew- 
ard &  Williams. 

Small  l6mo.     Paper  covers. 

A  large  variety  of  these  children's  books  were  published 
by  Seward  &  Williams,  as  they  advertised  a  few  years  later 
a  large  stock  of  Chap  and  toy  books.  November  9,  18 13, 
appeared  John  Camp's  advertisement  in  the  Patriot  of  "Gen- 
eral store,  Dry  Goods,  Groceries,  Liquors,  Iron  and  Steel." 
He  was  related  to  William  Williams'  son  by  marriage. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  1814.  Utica,  Printed  by  Seward  & 
Williams. 

This  was  advertised  on  November  i,  1813,  in  the  Patriot. 

It  was  in  1812  that  a  Bible  had  been  printed  in  Philadel- 
phia from  stereotype  plates  imported  from  England  by  the 
Philadelphia  Bible  Society.  It  was  in  18 13  that  the  first 
book  was  stereotyped  in  America  from  plates  made  in  the 
United  States.  It  was  the  "Larger  Catechism"  revised  by 
Alex.  McLeod,  D.D.  June  1813,  New  York,  J.  Watts  & 
Company,  for  Whiting  and  Wilson.  Stereotyping  was  in- 
vented by  William  Ged  of  Edinburgh,  and  used  first  in 
London  in  1725.  The  first  stereotyped  Bible  from  plates 
made  in  the  United  States  was  made  in  New  York  City,  in 
1815,  i2mo.  and  the  first  made  by  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety was  in  1816.  Utica  contained  1,700  inhabitants  this 
year,  according  to  "Tuttle's  Historical  Catechism." 

On  May  29,  1813  occurred  the  attack  on  Sackett's  Har- 
bor, which  was  easily  repulsed.  In  August  war  was  declared 
by  the  Six  Nations.  May  18,  1813  Gazette  advertised 
" 516.00  bounty,  58.00  per  month  offered  to  Volunteers  for 
I  year.     S.  B.  Hitchcock,  Recruiting  officer,  Utica." 

1814 

THE  CLUB,  BY  Henry  Goodfellow,  Esq.  & 
Company.  Published  Weekly  by  Seward  & 
Williams,  50  Cents  per  Quarter. 

59 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Beginning  August  1 1,  1814,  this  small  sized  newspaper 
was  printed  for  only  a  few  weeks  by  Seward  &  Williams  as 
on  January  5,  1815,  it  was  printed  on  large  size  paper  by 
A.  Ingersoll  &  Company,  Utica.  On  June  19,  18 15  it 
was  discontinued, 

MEMOIRS  OF  MISS  HULDAH  ANN  BALD- 
WIN, BY  Rev.  Amos  Glover  Baldwin,  of  Trinity 
Church,  Utica,     Printed  by  Seward  &  Williams, 

Utica,  18 14, 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  18 15.    Utica,  Printed  by  A.  Seward. 

It  appeared  in  November,  18 14,  and  was  sold  to  the  whole- 
sale trade  for  the  ensuing  year. 

The  September  i,  1814  number  of  "The  Club"  said: 
"The  Philadelphia  Edition  of  the  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia 
is  just  received  by  A.  Seward  at  his  book-store,  and  sub- 
scriptions are  to  be  paid  and  called  for  by  subscribers." 
This  agency  proved  to  be  very  remunerative.  Mr.  Williams 
had  been  taken  into  partnership  in  the  book-store  on  the 
25th  of  July  of  this  year.  He  had  been  a  partner  in  the  print- 
ing establishment  since  1807.  It  required  larger  capital  to 
carry  on  the  more  extensive  book  business  they  were  now 
entering  upon. 

On  February  15,  1814,  A.  Seward  advertised  in  the 
Patriot  "Subscriptions  taken  at  the  book  store  for  '  History 
of  New  York'  by  Roger  Schermerhorn  and  appendix  by 
William  Smith,  A.M."  On  March  29th  he  advertised  in  the 
Patriot,  "For  sale  at  my  book  store,  'Oration  delivered 
March  II,  1814,'  at  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  by 
Francis  Adrian  Van  Der  Kamp,  F.  A.  S.,  A.  S.  S.  commemor- 
ative of  Emancipation  of  Dutch  from  French  Tyranny. 
Published  at  the  request  of  the  Dutch  Committee."  This 
was  published  by  Merrell  &  Camp.who  had  opened  a  theolog- 
ical book-store  one  door  West  of  the  Post  Office,  June  21, 
1814.  They  printed  the  Patriot  and  put  out  most  of  the 
publications  this  year.  Among  which  were  "Classification 
of  Conscription  Laws  addressed  to  the  Citizens  of  Utica  by  an 

60 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Exempt."  Price,  one  shilling.  "The  Goodness  of  God 
in  the  Salvation  of  all  Mankind,  by  Jephtha  Burt."  80  pp. 
12^  cents  each. 

"An  address  to  the  Citizens  of  Oneida  on  the  subject  of 
the  late  laws  of  this  state  for  raising  12,000  men  by  classi- 
fication of  the  Militia,  By  an  Exempt."     16  pp.  4to. 

"The  Utica  Christian  Magazine,"  Vol.  II,  August  9, 
1814. 

"The  Report  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Hartford  Conven- 
tion." 

"The  Speech  in  Congress  of  Morris  S.  Miller  and 
Thomas  P.  Grosvenor. " 

"A  Printed  Catalogue  of  a  Book  auction"  at  Dugete  and 
Sherman's  January  3,  1815. 

On  August  l6th  the  Patriot  changed  editors,  and  William 
H.  Maynard  took  up  the  Editorship. 

Mr.  Seward  occupied  the  columns  of  the  Patriot  in  still 
further  advertising  for  sale  on  April  19th  a  pamphlet:  "The 
Evils  of  War"  by  Benjamin  Bell,  A.M.  These  publica- 
tions were  possibly  printed  elsewhere  as  the  book-store  oc- 
cupied most  of  the  partners  attention  this  year.  On  Nov- 
ember 4th  they  advertised  "Board  of  Health  Lottery"  to 
help  augment  their  profits. 

Mr.  Williams  who  had  been  absent  from  the  business  on 
his  duties  as  a  soldier  most  of  the  time  since  February  1813, 
was  now  made  a  Captain.    The  April   23,   1814  number  of 
the  Patriot  says,  "Military  appointments  in  the  134th  New 
York  Regiment  (State  Militia)  William  Williams  has  been 
made    Captain.    Signed    Abraham    Camp,     Clerk."     The 
dissatisfaction  amongst  the  men  in  the  several  companies 
was  very  marked  on  account  of  not  receiving  their  pay.    Nov- 
ember 22,    1814   the   Patriot   said:  "To  the    militia  called 
September,  1813.     A  part  of  the  militia  called  to  Sackett's 
Harbor  September,  1813,  has  been  discharged  it  is  under- 
stood, without  pay.     The  service  has  been  short  but  un- 
commonly severe   and   vexatious.     Sickness   has   prevailed 
among  them  and  many  have  died.     Had  General  Izard  been 
allowed  to  remain  at  the  Harbor  the  extra  militia  would 
have  been  unnecessary."     They  received  one  shilling  per 

61 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

day  for  expense  of  journey.  However  in  the  January  i6th 
number  of  the  Patriot,  1816,  notice  from  Samuel  Edwards, 
Paymaster  of  New  York  Militia,  advised  that  they  will  be 
paid. 

January  1st,  Eliasaph  Dorchester  joined  Thomas  Walker 
in  publishing  the  Gazette. 

There  was  a  call  on  March  13th,  for  2,400  Volunteers  for  six 
months,  in  Oneida,  Herkimer  &  Madison  Counties  and 
in  September,  1814,  Washington  City  was  taken  by  the 
British. 

1815 

THE  PATROL,  Vol  i.  No.  i.  January  5TH  1815. 
Published  Every  Thursday  by  Seward  &  Wil- 
liams, $1."]^  PER  Annum  in  the  Village.  "Var- 
ious, THAT  THE  MIND  OF  DESULTORY  MAN,  STUDIOUS 
OF  CHANGE  AND  PLEASED  WITH  NOVELTY  MAY  BE 
INDULGED." 

With  this  rather  pedantic  quotation  in 
small  capital  letters  immediately  under  the 
paper's  name,  Messrs.  Seward  and  Williams 
this  year  entered  into  a  new  venture,  that 
of  publishing  and  editing  their  own  news- 
paper as  well  as  printing  it.  They  felt 
confident  that  they  could  indulge  their 
readers  with  their  newsy  columns,  and 
were  so  successful  that  at  the  end  of  one 
year's  trial  their  old  competitors  on  the 
Patriot  approached  them  with  the  propo- 

62 


*^^e  ^oxHcnaViou  oX  uvc  ^'OOUae  oV    vXVvca, 


Promise  to  pay 

Manhattan 

THREE 

On  Demand. 


the  Bearer  at  the 
branch  Bank, 

CENTS, 

Utiea,  Aug.  1, 1815. 


By  order. 


Promise  to  pay  the    ^  ^  Jl^^^'<»,     .  <v  Bearer,  at  the 

Manhattan 

TWELVE  AND  ^S^^^SS^T^^  A  HALF  CENTS, 

On  Demand.         Utica,  August  1, 1815. 

By  order. 


'Ei^^fJBrtmch  Banky 


i    Promise  to  pay  the     ''^^l.^^.igj  Bearer  at  the 

i      Manhattan    ^^^%r    Branch  Bank, 
I  SEVENTY' 


On  Demand. 


FIVE  CENTS 

mica,  August  1, 1815. 


B>/  order. 


Fractional  currency  of  the  Village  of  Utica,  1815,  with  wood  cuts 
by  William  Williams.     Reduced  size 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

sition  of  combining  the  two  papers  into 
one.  This  was  accordingly  done  on  the 
following  January,  when  they  all  became 
joint  proprietors  of  the  paper.  Seward  and 
Williams  had  been  out  of  the  business  of 
printing  a  newspaper  since  August,  1806, 
when  Ira  Merrell  and  later  Merrell  and 
Camp  printed  the  Patriot,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  their  few  months'  venture,  in 
1 8 14,  of  printing  Mr.  Goodfellow's  paper, 
The  Club.  Their  book  publishing  busi- 
ness had  increased,  and  now,  as  Mr.  Wil- 
liams had  returned  from  his  absence  at  the 
war,  he  entered  with  renewed  vigor  into 
journalism,  besides  his  business  as  printer 
and  bookseller.  By  his  absence  their  pub- 
lishing business  had  fallen  off  considerably, 
as  most  of  the  recent  publications  had 
come  from  the  Patriot  press  of  Merrell  & 
Camp. 

DIVINE  HYMNS    and    Spiritual  Songs  by  I. 
Watts.    Utica,  Seward  &  Williams,  1815. 

Notice  of  this  book  appeared  in  the  January  24th  number 
of  the  Patriot. 

65 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

In  the  number  of  April  8th  it  stated  "A  machine  (!  )  has 
been  employed  for  the  first  time  in  printing  a  morning  news- 
paper."  Probably  the  embryo  power  press  that  was  to 
revolutionize  the  business. 

On  August  1st  of  this  year  they  printed  sheets  of  "Vil- 
lage of  Utica  demand  notes  on  Manhattan  Branch  Bank." 
This  was  the  fractional  currency  bank  circulation.  "Sew- 
ard and  Williams  Printers"  appears  on  the  end  of  the  75 
cent  piece.  On  each  plate  are  2  each  of  the  3  cent,  6\  cent, 
12^  cent,  25  cent,  50  cent  and  75  cent;  each  adorned  in  the 
center  with  a  wood-engraving  by  the  hand  of  William  Wil- 
liams. Most  of  these  cuts  had  already  appeared  as  adorn- 
ments in  the  181 1  publications. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Alman- 
ac FOR  1 8 16.     Printed  by  Seward  &  Williams. 

Some  of  these  have  the  name  of  A.  Seward  alone,  same  as 
the  preceding  year,  indicating  that  they  had  temporarily 
discontinued  their  press  during  1814  and  devoted  themselves 
to  the  book-store  exclusively;  and  possibly  Mr.  Seward  had 
them  printed  for  him  on  an  outside  press. 

There  were  other  wood  engravers  in 
Utica  at  this  time  besides  William  Wil- 
liams, as  we  see  by  the  full-page  wood-cut 
frontispiece  in  "  Rhymes  for  the  Nursery," 
printed  by  Camp,  Merrell  &  Camp,  i  8 1 5. 
By  the  author  of"  Original  Poems."  Duti- 
ful Jem,  and  the  three  cuts  in  the  text 
bear  evidence  of  other  local  talent. 


66 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 
1816 

THE  PATRIOT  AND  PATROL,  Utica,  18 16. 
A  Semi-Weekly  Newspaper,  Maynard,  Seward 
&  Williams,  Proprietors. 

The  first  number  of  this  combined  paper  appeared  Jan- 
uary 2,  1816  and  continued  with  the  regular  volume  and 
number  of  the  Patriot.  In  the  December  26th  number  of 
Patriot  is  a  notice  duly  signed  by  A.  Seward,  William  H. 
Maynard  and  William  Williams,  agreeing  to  join  their  re- 
spective papers,  the  Patriot  and  the  Patrol  into  one  semi- 
weekly  paper  called  the  Patriot  and  Patrol.  Printed  for  the 
Proprietors,  A.  Seward,  William  H.  Maynard,  and  William 
Williams  by  Ira  Merrell,  ^4.00  per  year  in  advance.  April 
2,  18 16  is  Vol.  XIV,  No.  697,  and  states  that  William  H. 
Maynard  is  editor.  A  financial  interest  being  retained  by 
Seward  and  Williams. 

MEMORIAL  IN  FAVOR  OF  THE  ERIE  CAN- 
AL.    Utica,  Seward  &  Williams,  1816. 

This  was  commenced  in  the  January  loth  number  of  the 
paper  and  concluded  in  the  number  of  February  2,  1816. 
Later  published  in  pamphlet  form  on  January  19th  and  called 
"Memorial  to  the  Citizens  of  New  York  in  regard  to  the 
Canal  begun." 

MUSICA  SACRA,  Part  I,  Under  Patronage  of 
Oneida  Musical  Society.  Utica,  Seward  & 
Williams,  18 16. 

MUSICA  SACRA,  Part  II,  Under  Patronage  of 
Oneida  Musical  Society.  Utica,  Seward  & 
Williams,  1816. 

MUSICA  SACRA,  Second  Edition,  Under  Pat- 
ronage OF  Oneida  Musical  Society.  Utica, 
Seward  &  Williams,  1815. 

67 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

An  advertisement  in  the  December  lotli  number  of  the 
Patriot  and  Patrol  stiLtcd  this  was  a  combination  of  Part  I  and 
II.  It  was  the  first  of  a  series  of  musical  pubHcations  by 
Thomas  Hastings,  who  had  a  singing  school  in  Utica,  and  was 
the  author  of  some  of  the  best  hymns  in  our  language. 

A  COMPENDIUM  OF  GEOGRAPHY,  Adapt- 
ed TO  THE  Capacities  of  Children  and  Youths, 
BY  William  A.  Thayer.  Utica,  Seward  &  Wil- 
liams.    Proprietors  of  the  Copyright,  i8i6. 

A  small  paper-covered  pamphlet  and  advertised  in  the 
August  27th  number  of  the  Patriot  and  Patrol  at  25  cents  each. 

A  GUIDE  TO  THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE 
BY  Joseph  Hall.  Utica,  Seward  &  Williams, 
1816. 

Joseph  Hall's  Spelling  Book  was  published  by  Merrell  & 
Camp,  1816,  as  advertised  in  December  24th  number  of 
paper. 

MURRAY'S  ENGLISH  READER  by  Lindley 
Murray.  Third  Utica  Edition.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  18 16. 

CHRISTIAN  SABBATH  and  Nativity  Anthem. 
A  Sacred  Cantata.  Utica,  Seward  &  Williams, 
1816. 

A  piece  of  sheet  music  sold  at  20  cents  each,  as  advertised 
December  10,  1816. 

Merrell  &  Camp  published  this  year  "Instrumental  Pre- 
ceptor, compiled  by  William  Whitelely,  musical  instructor 
and  maker."  They  also  published  "The  Panoplist  and  Mis- 
sionary Magazine"  as  well  as  an  abridged  "Milner's  Church 
History"  advertised  February  8,  1 816  in  the  Patriot  and 
Patrol. 

THE  GRAND  HALLELUJAH  CHORUS,  From 
Handel's  Messiah.  Utica,  Seward  &  Williams, 
1816. 

68 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Advertised  September  17,  18 16  as  sheet  music  with 
words,  and  sold  at  one  shilling. 

The  book-store  advertised  on  October  27th  "The  Chris- 
tian Register,"  published  by  Thomas  and  James  Swords, 
New  York.  The  firm's  name  was  printed  on  the  title  page 
of  many  of  these  books  which  they  carried  in  stock  and  sold 
wholesale. 

On  March  12th,  Mr.  Maynard,  Editor  of  the  Patriot  and 
Patrol,  formed  a  law  partnership  with-  Samuel  A.  Talcott 
one  door  West  of  the  Post  Office. 

On  February  13,  181 1  and  1816  Mr.  Williams*  father's 
store  at  Vernon,  N.  Y.,  was  destroyed  by  fire. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR  and  Utica  Almanac 
FOR  18 1 7.  Printed  by  Seward  &  Williams, 
Utica. 

It  was  on  the  22nd  of  March  of  this 
year  that  Daniel  Tompkins,  Governor  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  signed  William 
Williams'  appointment  as  Brigade  In- 
spector of  the  I  3th  Brigade  of  Infantry  of 
New  York  State.  It  was  signed  by  the 
Deputy  Secretary,  Archibald  Campbell, 
April  29,  I  8 16. 

In  spite  of  his  military  duties,  besides 
his  printing  house  and  book-store,  Mr. 
Williams  identified  himself  constantly  with 
church  work,  as  we  find  him  elected  the 
First  Superintendent  of  the  First  Church 

69 


AN     ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Sunday  School,  formed  this  year;  and  in  a 
short  time  formed  a  Bible  Class,  which 
he  taught  for  many  years  in  connection 
with  that  church.  A  former  pupil,  Miss 
Cornelia  Barnes  (Mrs.  C.  B.  Stone),  writes 
June  21,  1889:  "The  father  of  Dr.  S. 
Wells  Williams,  the  missionary,  was  my 
Bible  teacher  when  in  Utica.  A  lovely 
Christian gentleman,a  man  of  45  (in  1832)^ 
a  very  handsome  man,  faultless  in  his  at- 
tire and  whole  make-up,  hair  in  rich  curls, 
teeth  like  pearls,  hands,  nails,  feet,  and 
whole  person  immaculate,  with  great  cul- 
tivation of  intellect  and  heart  wholly  the 
Lord's."  He  was  this  year  elected  the 
President  of  the  Western  Sunday  School 
Union. 

1817 

THE  UTICA  DIRECTORY  for  1817.  Printed 
BY  William  Williams,  Utica,  1817. 

It  contained  466  names  of  persons  and  firms.  The  city 
contained  in  1816,  3,105  inhabitants  according  to  Frederick 
Morse,  and  was  incorporated  in  1817.  Hence  the  occasion 
of  publishing  a  Directory  this  year. 

Mr.  Seward's  name  no  longer  appeared  on  the  title-pages 

70 


,« 


-^  ^  1  ^  4^>! 


'^ 
^ 


•a 


5 


1. 


^■•?l^-4i4s^ 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

of  the  publications.  He  had  retired  from  the  pubhshing 
business,  and  on  April  7,  1818  the  paper  says  he  was  elect- 
ed the  Secretary  of  the  Capron  Cotton  Company.  He  re- 
tained his  book-store  until  i824,when  he  and  Mr.  Maynard 
sold  their  interest  in  the  paper  to  Webster  &  Dakin. 

THE  MUSICAL  READER,  or  Practical  Les- 
sons FOR  THE  Voice,  Consisting  of  Phrases,  Sec- 
tions, Periods,  and  Entire  Movements  of  Mel- 
ody in  Score.  To  Which  Are  Prefixed  the  Rudi- 
ments OF  Music.  (Hart  &  Co.)  Compiled  Prin- 
cipally for  the  Use  of  Schools.  By  One  of  the 
Editors  of  the  "Musica  Sacra."     Utica:  Printed 

TYPOGRAPHICALLY    BY    WiLLIAM    WiLLIAMS,    No.    60 

Genesee   Street.    1817. 

801  pp.,  of  which  the  first  22  are  the  Rudiments.  "One 
of  the  Editors,"  was  Thomas  Hastings.  The  wood-cut  on 
the  title  is  by  William  Williams. 

ESSAY  ON  MUSICAL  HARMONY:  by  Fred- 
erick Christopher  Kollman,  Organist  of  St. 
James  Chapel,  England.  Published  under  the 
Patronage  of  Oneida  Musical  Society.  First 
American  Edition.  Utica,  Seward  &  Williams, 
1817. 

300  pp.,  8vo.  Subscription  price  ;?2.50.  It  was  adver- 
tised in  the  December  27th  number  of  the  Patriot  and  Pa- 
trol and  was  printed  while  Mr.  Seward  was  a  partner. 

SELECT  CHANTS  for  Episcopal  Church. 
Utica,  Seward  &  Williams,  18 17. 

Advertised  in  Patriot  and  Patrol,  December  10,  18 16. 

DOMESTIC  MANUFACTURER'S  Assistant 
AND  Family  Directory,  in  the  Arts  of  Weaving 
AND  Dyeing  by  J.  &  R.  Bronson.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  18 17. 

73 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

204  pp.,  large  i2mo  and  plates.  Nine  lines  of  Errata 
pasted  on  inside  of  back  cover. 

MURRAY'S  ENGLISH  READER.  Fourth 
Utica  Edition.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1817. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT,  Translated  out  of 
THE  Original  Greek  from  the  Cambridge  Stereo- 
type Edition,  Carefully  Revised  and  Corrected. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  181 7. 

Advertised  in  the  Patriot  and  Patrol  of  September  27th, 
thus:  "In  press.  The  increasing  demand  for  it  as  a  school 
book  has  induced  me  to  procure  standing  forms  of  new  let- 
ter from  the  Cambridge  Stereotype  Edition.  Large  edi- 
tion on  thick  and  thin  paper." 

The  Phinneys,  of  Cooperstown,  issued  a  new  testament  in 
181 7.  It  may  have  been  from  the  same  plates  that  Mr. 
Williams  used. 

WEBSTER'S  SPELLING  BOOK.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1817. 

FAREWELL  SERMON  to  the  First  Presby- 
terian Society  on  the  Occasion  of  the  Dismis- 
sion of  Their  Pastor,  Who  Had  for  Some  Months, 
by  the  Weakness  of  His  Voice  Been  Unable 
to  Discharge  the  Duties  of  His  Office.  De- 
livered THE  First  Sabbath  in  October  1817  by 
Henry  Dw^ight.  Utica,  Printed  by  William  Wil- 
liams, 1817. 

8vo,  26  pp.,  paper  covers. 

Dr.  Dwight  had  been  pastor  for  five  years.  He  was  a 
warm  personal  friend  of  Mr.  Williams,  who  named  his 
second  son,  Henry  Dwight  Williams. 

A  COLLECTION  OF  SACRED  MUSIC.  De- 
signed principally  for  use  in  Churches  Which 

74 


THE 


MUSICAL  READER, 


PRACTICAL  LESSONS  FOR  THE  VOICE ; 

CONSISTING    OP    PHRASES,   SECTIONS,    PERIODS,    AND    ENTIRE 
MOVEMENTS  OF  MELODY  IN  SCORE. 

TO  WaiCB  ABS  rBEFIXEO 

THE  RUDIMENTS  OF  MUSIC. 


COMPILED  PRINCIPALLY  FOH  THE  USE  OF  SCHOOLS, 
BY  ONE  OF  THE  EDITORS  OF  THE  "  MUSICA  SACRA." 


mtica: 

PRINTED  TYPOGRAPHICALLY  BY  \VILUAM  WILUAMS, 

iro.  60,  OENESKE  STBEET. 

i8ir. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Sing  without  a  Choir.     Albany  Published.     E. 
F.    Backus,  65   State   Street.    Utica.     Printed 
Typographically  by  William  Williams,  60  Gene- 
see Street  1817. 
60  pp. 

THE  LORD'S  PRAYER,  For  Five  Voices  with 
AN  Accompaniment  for  the  Pianoforte  or  Organ, 
Composed  by  the  Celebrated  Mr.  Cooke  of  Dub- 
lin. Also  a  Funeral  Service  and  an  Anthem  on 
THE  Nativity  from  the  Second  Chapter  of  Luke. 
Utica,  Printed  and  Published  by  William  Wil- 
liams, No.  60  Genesee  Street,  1817. 

8  pp.  folio,  with  words  and  music. 

Advertised  on  December  27,  1816,  as  a  "Grand  Chor- 
us set  to  the  Lord's  Prayer."  Blue  paper  covers.  On  the 
back  cover  a  list  of  books  was  advertised  as  follows: 

"William  Williams,  60  Genesee  Street,  Utica,  New  York. 
Prints  (typographically)  and  publishes  music  of  every  de- 
scription. He  has  the  following  works  on  hand  for  sale, 
viz:  KoUman's  Essay  on  Musical  Harmony,  first  American 
edition.  Callcot's  Musical  Grammar.  Musica  Sacra. 
Hastings'  Musical  Reader.  Harmonia  Sacra.  Christian 
Sabbath.  Songs  of  the  Temple.  Almsted's  Musical  Olio. 
Atwell's  Sacred  Harmony.  Hallelujah  Chorus.  Lock  Hos- 
pital. Handel's  Messiah.  Little  &  Smith's  Easy  Instructor. 
Instrumental  Preceptor.  Flute  Melodies.  Violin,  Flute, 
Fife,  Hautboy  and  Clarionet  Preceptor.  Worcester's  Chris- 
tian Psalmody,  also  an  extensive  and  valuable  supply  of 
the  most  approved  editions  of  American  and  European  books 
on  History,  Biography,  Travels,  Voyages.  Theology,  Poetry, 
Art  and  Sciences.  Classical  School  Books  in  Greek,  Latin, 
French  and  English." 

HASTINGS'  DISSERTATION  on  Musical 
Taste  by  Thomas  Hastings.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  18 17. 

77 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

FIRST  ANNUAL  REPORT  of  the  Female  Mis- 
sionary Society.   Utica,  William  Williams,  1817. 

On  April  17th  a  New  Act  of  Incorporation  for  the  Village 
was  passed  on  and  three  wards  were  made.  On  Tuesday 
May  13th  of  this  year,  Mr.  Williams  was  elected  Trustee  of 
the  First  Ward  of  Utica  by  the  town  election,  together  with 
Ezra  S.  Crozier.  The  Trustees  of  the  other  two  wards  were 
Jeremiah  Van  Rensaeller,  A.  Van  Santford,  Erastus  Clark, 
John  C.  Hoyt.  Nathan  Wilhams  was  the  President  of  the 
village. 

On  Thursday,  July  31st,  the  paper  says:  "Thomas  Wil- 
liams, Mr.  Williams'  father,  died  aged  63  years.  He  was 
formerly  of  New  Hartford  and  lately  of  Cazenovia,  and  was 
on  a  visit  to  his  children  in  Utica.  Native  of  Roxbury, 
Mass.  He  was  distinguished  for  suavity  of  manners,  amia- 
bility of  temper  and  exemplary  piety." 

Notice  in  the  Patriot  and  Patrol,  August  19,  1817,  "In- 
spector of  Reviews  Brigade  of  New  York  Militia,  August 
13, 1817,  Brig.  General  David  Curtiss,  appointed  Inspection 
and  Review  of  regiments.  140th  Col.  Williams  will  be  in- 
spected September  g,  18 17  at  Waterville,  New  York.  Signed. 
William  Williams,  Brig.  Major  and  Inspector." 

The  Patriot  an  J  Patrol  advertised  on  April  igth  as  follows: 

"William  Williams  is  agent  for  John  T.  Wells  of  Hartford, 
Conn.,  for  Keep's  Printing  Ink.  Extensive  stock  of  station- 
ery and  books."  This  is  his  initial  advertisement  for  his 
book-store  as  the  partnership  dissolved  about  this  time. 

On  September  9th  he  advertised,  "Writing  and  Wrapping 
paper:  new  books." 

Merrell  &  Charles  Hastings  book-store  advertised  Stan- 
dard Works  including  "Thomas  a  Kempis"  and  "Milner's 
Church  History." 

On  December  30th  Mr.  Williams  advertised  "Bible  So- 
cieties will  be  furnished  with  Bibles  at  64  cents  per  copy." 

DeWitt  Clinton  was  Governor  of  New 
York  State  from  18 17  to  1823,  and  from 

78 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

1825  to  1828.  James  Monroe  was  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  from  18 17  to 
1825,  and  was  elected  on  the  Democratic- 
Republican  party  platform.  It  was  through 
their  administration  that  the  Erie  Canal 
was  dug.  This  year  Mr.  Williams  sold 
out  his  interest  with  Seward  &  Maynard 
in  the  paper,  and  devoted  himself  to  his 
book  store  and  publishing  house. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Almanac 
FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1818.  Utica,  Seward 
&  Williams. 

1818 

HALL'S  SPELLING  BOOK.  Second  Utica 
Edition.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1818. 

In  a  notice  of  February,  1818,  it  said  "Mr.  Williams  has 
copyright  for  the  Western  District." 

NEW  AND  CHOICE  SELECTIONS  of  Flute 
Melodies.     Utica,  William  Williams,   1818. 
Advertised  March  3rd.     5i-00  each. 

VIOLIN  PRECEPTOR.     Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1818. 
Advertised  March  3rd.     75  cents  each. 

AN  ACT  TO  Extend  the  Jurisdiction  of  Jus- 
tices of  the  Pleas.  Passed  March  28th  1818. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1818. 

Advertised  April  7,  1818. 

79 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

MUSICA  SACRA,  or  Springfield  and  Utica 
Collections  United.  Consisting  of  Psalm  and 
Hymn  Tunes,  Anthem  and  Chants;  Arranged 
FOR  Two,  Three  or  Four  Voices  with  a  Figured 
Base  for  the  Organ  or  Pianoforte  by  Thomas 
Hastings  and  Solomon  Warriner.  Third  Edi- 
tion.    Utica,  William  Williams,  i8i8. 

This  was  the  third  edition,  or  first  revised  with  Index 
of  Tunes. 

MURRAY'S  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  Utica, 
William  Williams,  i8i8. 

A  SERMON  PREACHED  AT  HAVERHILL 
Mass.,  in  Memory  of  Miss  Harriett  Newell 
Wife  of  Reverend  Samuel  Newell,  Missionary, 
to  India,  Who  Died  at  the  Isle  of  France,  No- 
vember 30TH  1812,  aged  19  Years.  To  Which 
Is  Added  Memoirs  of  Her  Life  by  Leonard 
Woods,  D.D.  Abbott  Professor  of  Christian 
Theology  in  the  Theological  Seminary,  Ando- 
ver.  Eighth  Edition.  Boston,  Published  by 
Samuel  T.  Armstrong,  Utica,  Printed  by  Wil- 
liam Williams,  18 1 8. 

From  a  copy  recently  received  from  India.  First  Edition 
was  published  in  Boston,  1814.  Copper-plate  of  Mrs. 
Newell  by  R.  Rawdon,  Albany,  from  painting  by  W.  Doyle, 
258  pp.,  8vo,  and  on  the  forepage  it  states  "The  Profits  of 
this  Work  are  devoted  to  the  support  of  Foreign  Missions 
from  America." 

TITI  LIVII  PATAVINI  HISTORARUM  LIBRI 
PRIORES  OyiNQUE;  in  Usum  Juventutis  Aca- 
demicae.  Editio  Secunda.  Uticae  Execudebat 
William  Williams,  MDCCCXVIH. 

SECOND  ANNUAL  REPORT  of  the  Female 
Missionary  Society.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1818. 

80 


WILLIAM     WILLIAMS 

Mr.  Williams  was  paid  April  29,  1818,  ^18.50  for  print- 
ing the  reports. 

NEW  MILITIA  ACT, Passed  April  2ist,  1818. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1818. 
Advertised  May  26th.  37^  cents  each. 

THE  MUSICAL  MONITOR  or  New  York 
Collection  of  Devotional  Church  Music.  Uti- 
ca, William  Williams,  18 18. 

Advertised  May  26th.     5i-00  each. 

PUBLISHER'S  CATALOGUE  for  Gratui- 
tous Circulation.  Books  Sold  in  Quantities. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  18 18. 

In  the  August  i8th  Patriot  and  Patrol  he  advenised  the 
following  stock  of  books  on  hand  for  retail  and  wholesale 
trade: 

4,000  Hall's  Spelling  Books. 
2,000  Webster's  Spelling  Books. 
2,000  Imitation  of  Christ. 
2,000  Daboll's  Arithmetic. 
1,200  Watts'  Hymns. 
1,100  Dwight's  Poems. 

600  History  of  the  late  War. 
4,000  Memoirs  of  Harriett  Newell. 
1,000  Hall  on  Communion. 
4,000  School  Testaments. 
1,000  Dwight's  Geography. 
2,000  Thayer's  Geography. 

7,000  Murray's  English  Grammar,  8vo,  l2mo,  l8mo. 
3,000  Murray's  Readers. 
2,000  Murray's  Introductions. 
8,000  Chap  Books,     60  kinds. 
27,000  Toy  Books,  33  kinds. 
1,600  Small  Bibles. 

150  Large  Bibles. 

A  number  of  these  were  his  own  publications  and  several 
he  carried  in  stock.     Numerous  editions  of  Webster  Spell- 
Si 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

ing  Books  were  published  by  him,  and  he  replaced  his  stock 
of  school  books  by  new  editions  from  his  own  press.  On 
August  8th  he  advertised  for  6,000  sheep  skins,  and  again 
on  October  20th  for  8,000  skins  in  order  to  supply  his  bindery 
for  the  fast  increasing  supply  of  school  books.  December 
8th,  he  advertised  12,000  Hall's  Spellers  on  hand,  third 
edition,  19  cents  each. 

HALL'S  SPELLING  BOOK,  Second  Utica  Edi- 
tion.    Utica,  William  Williams,  18 18. 

This  was  the  second  issue  this  year,  as  one  was  printed 
in  February. 

The  Patriot  and  Patrol  was  printed  weekly  from  Decem- 
ber 8,  1818,  to  February  23,  1819.  It  had  been  semi- 
weekly.  A  notice  appeared  in  the  Patriot  and  Patrol 
December  16,  1817,  "Will  publish  in  May,  1818,  if  sub- 
scribers are  enough,  'Vitrology,  or  The  Art  of  Making 
Glass,'  by  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft." 

300  pages,  l2mo  boards,  $2.50  subscription  price.  It 
does  not  appear  that  it  was  ever  published  by  him  as  no  ad- 
vertisement of  it  appeared  in  1818. 

On  April  21,  1 8 18  he  advertised  a  two  volume  edition  of 
Dr.  Backus'  Sermons,  with  engraving  from  original  painting 
by  Wood.  A  delay  ensued  and  it  was  published  in  1824 
in  one  volume. 

In  I  8 1  8,  a  split  occurred  in  the  Repub- 
lican party  between  the  Clinton  and  Van 
Buren  factions.  On  July  4th,  the  first 
spade  full  was  taken  out  of  the  Erie  Canal 
at  Rome.  It  had  been  suggested  by  Jo- 
siah  Forman,  of  Onandago,  as  early  as 
1808.  George  Washington,  in  his  visit 
at  Fort  Schuyler  in  1783,  wrote  to  Chev- 

82 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


alier  de  Chastelleux  and  spoke  of  improv- 
ing inland  navigation.  It  is  questioned 
by  some  whether  Washington  ever  visited 
Fort  Schuyler,  and  from  this  it  appears 
he  did.  The  canal  was  completed  in 
1824.  The  cost  was  six  million  dollars. 
Erastus  Root  was  the  most  violent  opposer, 
and  dubbed  it  "  Clinton's  Big  Ditch." 

Clinton  was  removed  in  1824  from  of- 
fice of  Canal  Commissioner,  but  public 
indignation  was  so  great  that  he  was  later 
re-elected  to  the  Governorship. 

He  had  succeeded  Governor  Tompkins 
in  1 8 17.  The  formal  opening  of  the 
Erie  Canal  was  October,  1823,  although 
the  middle  section  had  been  completed 
earlier,  and  was  in  use  between  Utica  and 
Montezuma  in  1820. 

FARMER'S   CALENDAR,   or  Utica  Almanac 
FOR  1 8 19.     Utica,  Printed  by  William  Williams. 

1819 

FIRST  ANNUAL  REPORT  of  the  Western 
Education  Society  of  the  Western  District  of 

83 


AN     ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

THE  State  of  New  York.    Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams,   1819. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  MINUTES  OF  THE 
PRESBYTERY  OF  ONEIDA.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  18 19. 

THE  YOUNG  CHRISTIAN'S  GUIDE,  Con- 
taining Important  Questions  with  Scriptural 
Answers.  Copyrighted.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1819. 

112  pp. 

THE  MILITIA  LAW  of  this  (New  York) 
State,  Including  the  Amendment.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1819. 

Advertised  at  25  cents  each. 

THE  MUSICAL  READER,  Revised  and  En- 
larged BY  Thomas  Hastings.  Copyrighted. 
Utica,  William  Williams,   18 19 

HALL'S  SPELLING  BOOK.    Third  Edition. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  18 19. 
Advertised  in  December  27,  1818,  number  of  the  Patriot 

anil  Patrol. 

ABRIDGMENT  OF  MURRAY'S  ENGLISH 
GRAMMAR  with  Appendix.  Designed  for  the 
Younger  Classes  of  Learners  by  Lindley  Mur- 
ray. Utica,  Printed  and  Published  by  William 
Williams,  60  Genesee  Street,  1819. 

From  the  30th  English  edition,  corrected  by  the  author, 
107  pp. 

ENGLISH  READER  by  Lindley  Murray. 
Utica,  William  Williams  for  L.  &  B.  Todd,  Hart- 
wick,  1819. 

84 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Springfield  and  Utica 
Collections  United,  by  Thomas  Hastings  and 
Solomon  Warriner.  Second  Revised  Edition. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1819. 

277  PP-,  3  PP- Ii'Jex. 

In  the  front  of  the  book  is  a  copyright  dated  September 
27,  1819.  Preface  says,  "It  has  for  its  object  the  accom- 
modation of  the  Handel-Bumey  Society,  under  whose  pa- 
tronage it  was  first  published.  Book  of  Rudiments  now  at- 
tached was  recently  published  separately  by  one  of  the  Edi- 
tors (Thomas  Hastings).  They  are  also  indebted  to  S. 
Norton,  Professor  of  Languages  in  Hamilton  College  for 
aid,  and  some  of  his  pieces  appear  for  the  first  time  in  this 
compilation." 

KEY  TO  EXERCISES  IN  MURRAY'S  ENG- 
LISH GRAMMAR.  Second  Albany,  from  First 
London  Edition.     Utica,  William  Williams,  18 ig. 

GUIDE  TO  THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  18 19. 

SPIRITUAL  SONGS.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1819. 

CONSIDERATIONS  AGAINSTCONTINUING 
THE  GREAT  CANAL  West  of  Seneca.  Ne 
Plus  Ultra,  by  Peter  Ploughshare,  or  Samuel 

B.  Beach  of  Oswego.  Facts  Are  Stubborn 
Things.  Addressed  to  the  Members  Elect  of 
the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
Jefferson  County,  July  20,  18 19.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam  Williams,    1819. 

Copyrighted  and  sold  at  37^  cents  each. 

Mr.  Beach  was  a  Yale  Graduate  and  a  classmate  of  John 

C.  Calhoun. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT.  Translated  out 
of  the   Original  Greek,  Second  American  Edi- 

is 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY     PRINTER 

TiON.    From  the  Cambridge  Stereotype  Edition. 
Carefully    Revised    and    Corrected.      Utica, 
Printed  and    Published    by  William    Williams. 
1819,  60  Genesee  Street. 
i2mo,     334  pp. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  AGRICULTURAL  SO- 
CIETY OF  THE  County  of  Oneida.  Delivered 
in  Whitesboro  on  the  27TH  of  December  1818  by 
Alexander  Coventry,  Esq.  Published  by  Order 
of  the  Society.  Printed  by  William  Williams, 
Utica,  60  Genesee  Street,  1819. 

30  PP- 

GEOGRAPHY  MADE  EASY,  Being  an  Abridge- 
ment of  the  American  Universal  Geography. 
To  Which  is  Prefixed  Elements  of  Geography 
FOR  THE  Use  of  Schools  and  Academies  in  the 
United  States.  By  Frederick  Morse,  D.D. 
Illustrated  by  a  Map  of  the  World  and  a  Nev/ 
Map  of  the  United  States.  "There  is  not  a 
Son  or  Daughter  of  Adam  but  Has  Some  Con- 
cern both  in  Geography  and  Astronomy."  Dr. 
Watts.  Twentieth  Edition.  Utica,  Published 
by  William  Williams.  Sold  at  His  Bookstore 
No.  60  Genesee  Street,  July  1819. 

Among  the  towns  of  the  State  of  New  York,  Utica  is  men- 
tioned as  follows:  "Utica,  a  post  town  in  Oneida  County, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Mohawk,  is  96  miles  west  of  Albany. 
Contained  in  1816  3,105  inhabitants  and  was  incorporated 
in  1817.  Is  one  of  the  most  flourishing  spots  in  the  State. 
Clinton,  nine  miles  west  of  Utica,  is  the  seat  of  a  new  college 
and  is  a  pleasant  village." 

THE  THIRD  ANNUAL  REPORT  of  the  Trus- 
tees OF  the  Female  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Western  District.   Utica,William  Williams,  18 19. 

86 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

GEOGRAPHY  MADE  EASY  by  Frederick 
Morse,  D.D.  20th  Edition.  Published  by  Wil- 
liam Williams,  Utica,  1819,  To  Which  Is  Added 
AN  Appendix  of  Questions  at  Back  and  Sold  by 
West  of  Boston;  Wood  of  New  York;  Gary  of 
Philadelphia,  and  other  Book  Stores  of  New 
York. 

On  May  25th,  Mr.  Williams  first  inserted  his  advertise- 
ment in  the  Patriot  and  Pa/ro/ adorned  with  a  finely  executed 
wood-cut  of  an  inkstand  and  open  book,  a  block  made  by 
himself. 

In  an  advertisement  of  July  20th,  he  offered  to  take  bank 
bills  in  payment.  The  Ontario  Bank  at  Canandaigua  and 
Branch  Bank  at  Utica  at  par.  Niagara  Bank  at  Buffalo  at 
33^  percent  discount. 

He  was  agent  for  Niles  JVeekly  Register  (published  in  Bal- 
timore since  1811),  also  for  the  Portfolio,  Atheneum,  Pano- 
plist,  and  Edinburgh  Quarterly  Review. 

A  General  order  of  the  13th  Division  of  New  York  In- 
fantry, dated  Augusta,  June  14,  1819,   reads,  "Major  Wil- 
liams of  Utica  and  Captain  John  T.  Knox  of  Augusta  are 
appointed  aids.     The  division  will  regard  them  accordingly. 
Signed,  William  Williams,  aid-de-camp." 

On  June  19th  Bryan  Johnson  resigned  as  Trustee  of  the 
Utica  Free  Academy,  and  Judge  Morris  S.  Miller  and  Wil- 
liam Williams  were  elected. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Almanac 
for  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  1820.  Utica,  William 
Williams. 

I  820 

A  SPELLING  BOOK  in  the  Language  of  the 
Seven  Iroquois  Nations  by  Eleazar  Williams. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1820. 

108  pp.,  i6mo. 

I'illing  No.  167.  First  Edition  was  Plattsburgh,  N.  Y. 
1813. 

87 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

PLAIN  TRUTHS  on  Christian  Baptism  and 
Communion,  by  John  Trevair,  Pastor  First 
Church.  Sherburne,  New  York.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1820. 

40  pp. 

RELIGION  EXEMPLIFIED  in  the  Life  of 
Poor  Sarah.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1820. 

12  pp.  A  small  tract  advertised  in  the  Patriot  and  Pa- 
trol, July  II,  1820,  for  $1.00  per  1,000  copies. 

THE  EASY  INSTRUCTOR,  or  a  New  Method 
of  Teaching  Sacred  Harmony  by  William  Little 
AND  William  Smith.  The  Music  Types  used  in 
Printing  this  Book  Are  Secured  to  the  Proprie- 
tors by  Patent  Right.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1820. 

126  pp.,  I  Index  4to,  long  oblong  musical  form.  The 
first  edition  was  Philadelphia  1798. 

May  23rd  1820  Merrell  and  Hastings' Company  opened  a 
stationery  and  book-store. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT.  Translated  out 
of  the  Original  Greek.  From  the  Stereotype 
Cambridge  Edition.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1820. 

i8mo.     Mentioned  by  Wright. 

Evidently  Asahel  Seward  did  some  business  in  the  book 
line,  as  on  October  20th  he  advertises  in  the  Patriot  and  Pa- 
trol "Rules  and  Articles  of  War."  Just  published  and  for 
sale  at  A.  Seward's  book-store,  75  cents  each. 

On  May  16,  1820,  Mr.  Williams  ac- 
companied his  friend,  Dr.  Hull,  from 
Utica  to  Baltimore  to  try  to  intercede  for 
the  doctor's  son,  who  had  been  arrested 

88 


GAIATONSERA 

lONTEWEIENSTAGWA 
ONGWE  ONWE 

GAWENNONTAKON. 

lakODikoarowannbaata  ne  i»ahei£nterhane  ne  gaiatooaen." 


A 

SPELLING-BOOK. 

IN  THE 

LANGUAGE 

OP  THE  SEVEN  IROQUOIS  NATIONS. 
BY  ELEAZER  WILLIAMS. 


UTICji: 

NOMWE  NATEKARISTORARAKON, 

^K   TEHORlSTOaABAKON  NE 

WILLIAM  WILLIAMS. 


1820. 


WILLIAM     WILLIAMS 


on  a  charge  of  murder  and  sentenced  to 
death  for  killing  a  mail  carrier,  John 
Heaps.*  Arriving  after  the  death  sentence 
had  been  passed,  Mr.  Williams  made  an 
eloquent  appeal  to  the  citizens  of  Balti- 
more in  the  young  man's  behalf.  The 
speech  was  reported  in  full  in  the  Balti- 
more Morning  Chronicle  and  copied  in  the 
Patriot  and  Patrol.  Their  intercession  be- 
ing ineffectual  they  returned  on  June  27th, 
and  the  death  sentence  was  carried  out 
July  14th.  Mr.  Hutton  was  executed 
with  him.  Dr.  Hull,  the  father  of  Mor- 
ris B.  Hull,  was  eminent  in  Utica  and 
Central  New  York  as  a  physician  and  sur- 
geon. He  was  the  inventor  of  **  Hull's 
Trusses,"  and  was  well  known  to  the 
medical  profession  in  this  country  and 
England.  The  day  of  young  Hull's  ex- 
ecution was  a  solemn  one  in  Utica.  A 
prayer  meeting  was  held  in  his  father's 
house  on  Main   Street,  later  occupied  by 

*  Appendix  VI. 
91 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Mr.  William  Dunn.  Mr.  Williams'  strong 
trait  of  philanthropy  was  shown  in  this 
instance  to  a  marked  degree.  Dr.  Hull 
picked  him  out  as  a  man  who  could  make 
a  strong,  sympathetic  and  earnest  appeal. 
May,  1820,  Congress  voted  five  hundred 
dollars  to  widow  Heaps. 

On  September  20th,  the  Revolutionary 
soldiers  paraded  in  Whitestown  under  di- 
rection of  General  George  Doolittle,  Gen- 
eral Collins  and  R.  Morrison. 

In  a  letter  to  his  son,  April  5,  1839, 
Mr.  Williams  says:  "In  1820  I  was  in 
Circleville,  Ohio,  with  Caleb  Atwater  and 
his  wife,  who  was  formerly  Sophia's  (his 
wife's)  schoolmaster  in  New  Hartford.  I 
was  there  three  months  and  later  for  four 
months.  These  long  stays  I  did  not  rel- 
ish, but  I  could  not  stereotype  in  Utica, 
and  therefore  I  was  compelled  to  be  absent 
frequently  for  long  periods,  which  was 
inconvenient." 
FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Almanac 
92 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1821.     Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams. 

On  May  16,  1820,  appeared  the  fol- 
lowing notice  :  "  The  Passage-boat  on 
the  Erie  Canal,  *  Montezuma,'  will  leave 
Utica  8:30  A.  M.  for  Montezuma,  94  miles 
west  of  Utica,  the  western  extremity  of 
the  canal.  Apply  to  Doolittle  &  Gold, 
39  Genesee  Street.  Fare  $4.00,  including 
fare  and  lodging;  3  pence  per  mile  when 
no  fare  or  lodging  is  furnished." 

Although  the  Erie  Canal  was  not 
formally  opened  throughout  its  entire 
length  until  October  1823,  it  was  very 
extensively  used  earlier  on  the  western 
section.  The  novelty  of  the  trip  gave 
rise  to  numberless  pleasure  parties,  which 
thronged  the  decks  of  the  boats  to 
overflowing. 

On  August  15,  1820,  there  appeared 
in  the  Patriot  and  Patrol,  "General  Or- 
ders, 13th  Brigade,  Utica,  June  ist,  1820. 
The  General,  in  accordance  with  1 7th  sec- 

93 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

tion  of  Act  to  organize  State  Militia,  has 
instituted  a  Brigade  Court  Martial,  to  be 
composed  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  William 
Williams  as  President,  John  H.  Ostrom 
as  Judge  Advocate,  and  four  members. 
Captain  Daniel  Stafford,  Lieutenant  Amos 
Robinson,  i  34th,  James  Hathaway,  i  57th, 
Zebena  Lloyd,  20th,  to  sit  November  ist." 


CHAPTER  II 

182I    TO     1850 


CHAPTER  II 

182I    TO    1850 

MR.  WILLIAMS  was  now 
started  upon  his  career  as  a 
journalist,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  the  politics  of  the  day.  He  was  a 
strong  advocate  of  DeWitt  Clinton,  and 
exerted  every  effort  to  re-elect  him  for 
Governor  of  New  York  in  1824.  The 
canal  and  anti-canal  fight  had  been  bitter, 
and  the  "People's"  party  triumphed  over 
the  "Regency"  party  under  Martin  Van 
Buren,  at  the  October  elections  of  1824. 
The  former  editor  of  the  Patriot  and  Pa- 
trol had  abandoned  the  Clintonian  party 

97 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

and  retired  from  politics.  The  paper  was 
discontinued,  and  Mr.  Williams  took  upon  , 
his  shoulders  the  entire  responsibility  of 
editing  and  printing  the  new  Utica  paper, 
the  Sentinel.  Little  else  occupied  his  mind 
and  attention  for  the  next  four  years.  His 
editorials  were  spirited  and  partisan ;  being 
widely  read  throughout  Central  New  York 
they  exerted  their  influence  in  electing 
DeWitt  Clinton  for  Governor.  At  the 
close  of  the  campaign  he  says  in  the  col- 
umns of  his  paper  :  "  I  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  reflecting  that  I  contributed  my 
exertions." 

1821 

THE  UTICA  SENTINEL  Vol.  I.  No.  I,  March 
9TH  1821  Printed  by  Elisha  Harrington  for 
William  Williams,  Editor  and  Proprietor. 
Weekly  ;^2.oo  per  year  in  Advance. 

Volume  II,  Number  163  of  this  paper  appeared  April 
20,  1824,  bringing  Number  i,  March  9,  1821.  The  Direc- 
tory of  1828  states,  "William  Williams  started  the  paper 
with  Elisha  Harrington  as  printer."  It  continued  until 
June  14,  1825,  and  in  1824  was  printed  by  Ira  Merrell. 

TITII  LIVII  PATAVINI  HISTORIARUM  EDI- 
TIO  TERTIO  UTICENSIS.  William  Williams, 
1821. 

98 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

THE  YOUNG  CHRISTIAN  GUIDE  Contain- 
ing Important  Questions  with  Scriptural  An- 
swers.    Utica,  William  Williams,  1821. 

Advertised  in  the  Patriot  and  Patrol  January  2,  1821, 
at  1^2.25  per  dozen. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT.  Translated  out 
of  the  Original  Greek.  From  the  Cambridge 
Stereotype  Edition.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1821. 

i2mo  mentioned  by  Wright. 

REMARKS  ON  CAPITAL  PUNISHMENT.  To 
Which  Are  Added  Letters  of  Morris  B.  Hull. 
Published  and  Printed  by  William  Williams, 
60  Genesee  Street,  Utica,  1821. 

32  pp.  by  Dr.  Hull. 

REMARKS  ON  CAPITAL  PUNISHMENT  to 
Which  are  Added  Letters  of  Morris  B.  Hull. 
Second  Edition  with  Additions.  William  Wil- 
liams, 1821. 

40  pp.  by  Dr.  Hull. 

PRACTICAL  READER  in  Five  Books   by  M. 
R.  Bartlett.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1821. 
First  edition. 

A  GUIDE  TO  THE  ENGLISH  TONGUE.  By 
Joseph  Hull.  Printed  by  William  Williams, 
60  Genesee  Street,  Utica,  N.  Y.  1821. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Almanac 
FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1822.  William  Wil- 
liams, Utica. 

On  January  15,  1821,  the  Patriot  and  Patrol  has  this  no- 
tice: "The  undersigned  petitioned  the  legislature  to  incor- 

99 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

porate  them  as  a  body  politic  under  name  of  the  Bank  for 
Savings  of  the  Village  of  Utica.     Signed: 

Nathan     Williams.  Ezekiel     Bacon. 

J.  C.  Devereux.  David  W.  Childs. 

William  Williams.  Montgomery  Hunt. 

Reed  Snyder.  Samuel  Stocking. 

Moses  Bagg  &  others. " 
On  January    2,   1821,  Mr.  Williams'   advertisement  ap- 
peared in  the  Patriot  and  Patrol,  as  follows:  "List  of  books 
received,  also  Pomeroy's  Metallic  strop  and  paste  for  razors. 
Surgeon's  instruments,  pen-knives  &c.,  &c." 

1822 

ENGLISH  GRAMMAR  with  Appendix.  By 
LiNDLEY  Murray.  Ninth  American  from  the 
28TH  English  Edition.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams,   1822. 

137  pp.,  8vo.  The  first  English  edition  was  Holdgate, 
near  York,   1795. 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Springfield  and  Utica 
Collections  United  by  Thomas  Hastings  and 
Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1822. 

Printed  both  in  upright  or  octavo  form,  and  oblong  or 
musical  form. 

CHRISTIAN      REPOSITORY      MAGAZINE. 

Monthly.     Published  by  Merrell  &  Hastings. 
Printed,  Utica,  William  Williams,  1822. 
Lasted  7  years. 

THE  MISSIONARY  ARITHMETIC  by  Wil- 
liam R.  Weeks.  Published  by  Merrell  &  Hast- 
ings.    Printed  by  William  Williams,  Utica,  1822. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT.  Translated  out 
OF  the  Original  Greek.     From  the  Cambridge 

100 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Stereotype  Edition.     Utica,  William  Williams, 
1822. 
Mentioned  by  Wright.     i2mo. 

A  SERMON  Delivered  at  the  Dedication  of 
THE  Free  Church  of  Clinton,  New  York,  No- 
vember 14TH  1821  BY  Rev.  Stephen  R.  Smith, 
Member  of  the  First  Universalist  Society  of 
Whitesboro,  New  York.     Utica,  1822. 

No  printer's  name  given. 

STEREOTYPE  EDITION.  THE  CONSTITU- 
TION OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  in 
THE  United  States  of  America.  Containing  the 
Confession  of  Faith.  The  Catechisms.  Direc- 
tory OF  Worship.  Plan  of  Government  and  Dis- 
cipline AS  Amended  May  1821.  Utica,  Printed 
and  Published  by  William  Williams,  60  Genesee 
Street,  1822. 

Copyrighted    in  Pennsylvania,  in   1821,    by  Dr.  Stiles. 

The  Patriot  says,  "Concert  tickets  for  sacred  concert  at 
Trinity  Church  for  sale  at  William  Williams'  store.  See 
Posters. " 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Almanac 
for  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  1823.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1823. 

1823 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Springfield  and  Utica 
Collections  United,  by  Thomas  Hastings  & 
Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1823. 

CHRISTIAN  REPOSITORY  MAGAZINE, 
Printed  and  Published  by  William  Williams, 
Utica,  1823. 

lOI 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

THE  MISSIONARY  HERALD,  Volume  XIX. 
Reprinted  for  the  Board  by  William  Williams, 
Utica,  1823. 

ALL  FOR  THE  BEST.  Utica,  Published  by 
the  Tract  Society  of  the  Oneida  Association. 
William  Williams,  Printer. 

Tract  number  2,  name  of  printer  on  last  page. 

FEMALE  INFLUENCE.  Utica,  Published  by 
The  Tract  Society  of  the  Oneida  Association. 
William  Williams,  Printer. 

Tract  number  3,  printer's  name  at  end. 

A  SERMON  ON  THE  CONFESSION  OF 
FAITH  AND  Covenant  of  the  Church  in  Paris. 
Preached  on  the  First  Sabbath  in  May,  1823, 
Immediately  Before  the  Administration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  by  William  R.  Weeks,  Utica. 
Printed  for  the  Author  by  William  Williams, 
Number  60  Genesee  Street,  1823. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Almanac 
FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord,  1824.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams. 

THE  ENGLISH  READER  or,  Pieces  in  Prose 
and  Verse,  Selected  from  the  Best  Writers. 
Designed  to  Assist  Young  Persons  to  Read  with 
Propriety  and  Effect;  to  improve  their  Lan- 
guage AND  Sentiments,  and  to  inculcate  Some  of 
the  Most  Important  Principles  of  Piety  and 
Virtue.  By  Lindley  Murray,  Author  of  "An 
English  Grammar,"  etc.,  etc.  To  Which  Are 
Prefixed  The  Definitions  of  Inflections  & 
Emphasis  and  Rules  for  Reading  Verse  with 
A  Key,  Exhibiting  a  Method  of  Applying  Those 

102 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Principles  to  the  Pronunciation  of  Written 
Language.  The  Inflections,  as  Well  as  Em- 
phasis   ARE    also    actually    APPLIED    BY    SENSIBLE 

Characters,  and  Agreeably  to  the  Directions 
Contained  in  the  Key,  to  the  Whole  of  Mr. 
Murray's  Selections.  By  M.  R.  Bartlett,  Au- 
thor OF  "The  Practical  Reader."  Stereotyped 
BY  H.  &  E.  Phinney,  Cooperstown.  Utica, 
Printed  and  Published  by  William  Williams, 
Number  6o  Genesee  Street,  1823. 

1824 

ESCALALA.  An  American  Tale  by  Samuel 
B.  Beach.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1824. 

THE  WESTERN  RECORDER,  Under  the 
Patronage  and  for  the  Benefit  of  the  Western 
Educational  Society  and  Auburn  Theological 
Seminary.  Thomas  Hastings,  Editor.  Utica, 
William  Williams,  1824. 

In  1828  it  was  printed  by  Hastings  &  Tracy. 

MURRAY'S  IMPROVED  ENGLISH  READER 
or  Pieces  in  Prose  and  Verse  by  Lindley  Mur- 
ray, WITH  A  Key  by  M.  R.  Bartlett.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1824. 

CHRISTIAN  REPOSITORY  MAGAZINE. 
Published  and  Printed  by  William  Williams, 
Utica,  1824. 

The  Spy  published  at  this  time,  May  13,  1824,  was 
Volume  VII,  Number  l,  but  without  printer's  name. 

SERMONS  ON  IMPORTANT  SUBJECTS,  by 
the  late  Azel  Backus,  S.  T.  D.,  First  President 
of  Hamilton  College.     To  Which  Is  Prefixed 

103 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

A  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  the  Author.  Utica, 
Printed  and  Published  by  William  Williams, 
Number  6o  Genesee  Street,  1824. 

The  frontispiece  is  a  copper-plate  portrait  of  Dr.  Backus, 
from  a  painting  by  T.  Wood,  engraved  by  T.  B.  Longacre, 
346  pp.,  8vo.  The  sketch  of  his  Hfe  was  prepared  shortly 
after  Dr,  Backus'  death  in  December  1817,  but  now  just 
published.     It  was  probably  written  by  William  Williams. 

GREEK  EMANCIPATION.  A  Poem  by  Sam- 
uel Dakin,  Jr.  Utica,  Printed  by  William  Wil- 
liams, 60  Genesee  Street,  1824. 

8  pp.,  small  pamphlet. 

ORATION  COMMEMORATIVE  OF  AMERI- 
CAN INDEPENDENCE,  Delivered  at  Utica, 
July  5TH  1824,  by  Alexander  B.  Johnson.  Utica, 
William  Williams,  1824. 

THE  MISSIONARY  HERALD.  For  the  Year 
1824,  Volume  XX.  Published  at  the  Expense 
OF  THE  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  and  All  the  Profit  Devoted 
TO  the  Promotion  of  the  Missionary  Cause. 
Boston.  Published  for  the  Board  by  Samuel 
T.  Armstrong.  Utica,  Re-printed  by  William 
Williams,  Number  60  Genesee  Street. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Almanac, 
FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1825.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams. 

Merrell  &  Caldwell  published  Volume  I  of  the  Sabbath 
School  Visitant,  August  7,  1824. 

Merrell  &  Hastings  published  "Beers  1824  Almanac"; 
they  also  advertised,  "Catalogue  of  Books  Belonging  to 
Merrell  &  Hastings,  Circulating  Library,  kept  at  their  Book 
Store,  Number  40  Genesee  Street,  Utica,  together  with  the 

104 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

rules  and  regulations.  Utica.  1823.  Subscription  I  year 
^4;  6  months  ^^2.25;  3  months  Si. 25.  Non-subscribers, 
octavo  volumes,  19  cents;  duo,  12^  cents;  smaller,  6  cents, 
which  must  be  paid  when  book  is  taken  out.  Octavo  vol- 
umes may  be  kept  two  weeks.     Smaller  ones  one  week." 

On  October  ist,  the  firm  of  Balch  & 
Stiles  was  started  on  the  corner  of  Broad 
and  John  Streets,  engravers  on  copper  and 
plate  printing.  They  did  work  for  Wil- 
liam Williams,  and  later  he  became  a 
partner  in  the  firm.  November  5th,  Mr. 
Williams  advertised  for  sale  at  number  60 
a  "German  Almanac  for  1825."  It  was, 
no  doubt,  printed  elsewhere.  A  new  pub- 
lishing firm,  H.  K.  Phinney  &  Company, 
opened  at  35  Genesee  Street,  on  December 
24th,  a  branch  of  the  Cooperstown  house. 
Mr.  Williams'  advertisement  continued  in 
the  Patriot  and  Patrol  until  January  13, 
1 824  ;  and  it  is  a  question  whether  he  did 
not  retain  some  interest  in  it  financially 
until  January  21,  1824,  or  whether  he 
started  his  interest  in  the  Sentinel  at  this 
time,  though  no  file  is  extant  before  April 

105 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

20,  1824.  He  may  have  bought  it  out 
at  this  time  and  continued  the  old  volume 
and  number. 

On  December  14th,  Colonel  Williams, 
as  he  is  titled  in  the  November  18,  1824, 
Patriot  and  Patrol,  was  elected  President 
of  the  Oneida  Sabbath  School  Union, 
which  had  been  organized  September  i, 
1 824.  Two  of  his  children,  of  which  he 
had  fourteen  by  his  first  wife  and  two  by 
his  second,  died  this  year,  Julian,  on  Sep- 
tember 2ist,  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
months,  and  Harriet,  on  October  5th,  nine 
years  old.  A  long  obituary  notice  of  the 
latter,  by  her  father,  appeared  in  the  Oc- 
tober I  3th  number  of  the  Sabbath  School 
Visitant. 

The  political  situation  was  at  this  time 
all-absorbing,  and  Colonel  Williams  show- 
ed his  activity  and  energy  as  a  political 
editor.  The  adoption  of  the  new  State 
Constitution,  in  1822,  had  placed  political 
power  in  the  hands  of  Martin  Van  Buren, 

106 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

the  leader  of  the  Democratic  party.  In 
1823,  Joseph  C.  Yates  had  been  elected 
New  York's  Governor  as  a  Van  Buren 
man.  In  February,  i  824,  Yates  was  drop- 
ped for  re-election,  and  Colonel  Young 
ran  as  a  Democrat,  with  full  allegiance  to 
"King  Caucus."  In  August,  1824,  oc- 
curred the  Utica  Convention,  at  which 
DeWitt  C.  Clinton  was  nominated  for 
Governor  of  New  York  State ;  General 
Tallmadge  for  Lieutenant  Governor,  and 
delegates  opposed  to  Crawford,  one  of 
the  Presidential  nominees.  John  Quincy 
Adams  and  Andrew  Jackson  were  nomi- 
nated as  well.  The  Utica  Convention  in- 
augurated the  policy  of  nominations,  em- 
anating from  the  people  direct,  instead  of 
by  Legislative  caucus.  The  Van  Buren 
factions  were  called  the  "  Albany  Re- 
gency," and  had  been  the  means  of  de- 
posing Clinton  as  Canal  Commissioner. 
"  But  the  tide  had  turned.  The  election 
was  one  of  the  most  stirring  that  had  ever 

107 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

been  experienced;"  a  contemporary  says, 
"  Clinton  and  Tallmadge  or  *  People's 
Ticket':  vs.  Young  and  Root  or  *  Buck 
Tails,'  and  were  elected  by  i,6oo  major- 
ity. Eight  Senators  were  Clintonians  and 
only  two  *  Regency '  men.  More  than 
three  to  one  of  the  Assemblymen  were 
opposed  to  the  *  Albany  Regency  '  of  Van 
Buren  and  *  King  Caucus.'  At  no  con- 
tested election  in  our  State  had  the  success 
of  one  party  been  so  triumphant,  or  the 
defeat  of  the  other  so  overwhelming." 
Immediately  after  the  State  came  the  Na- 
tional election  with  three  candidates,  John 
Quincy  Adams,  Crawford  and  Jackson. 
The  campaign  was  named  the  "  Scrub- 
race,"  as  there  were  no  recognized  parties, 
all  claiming  to  be  Republicans.  In  the 
editorial  of  the  Sentinel  of  November  9, 
1824,  William  Williams  writes  :  "  Sover- 
eignity of  the  people  has  been  displayed. 
Oneida  County  has  done  its  duty.  Four- 
teen hundred  majority  for  the  People's 
108 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

ticket.  Contest  of  principle,  not  men. 
Republicanism  arrayed  against  faction. 
Let  the  fact  be  remembered.  It  is  a  grand 
lesson  to  the  little  autocracies  which  have 
grown  up  under  the  reign  of  Martin  Van 
Buren  and  the  forty  high-minded  gentle- 
men." On  October  26th,  before  the  elec- 
tion, he  speaks  of  Van  Buren  as  "  a  political 
trimmer,  who  has  fallen  down  at  the  shrine 
of  *  King  Caucus  '  and  bartered  away  the 
votes  of  the  State  for  support  of  Crawford 
for  President." 

On  November  30th,  he  replies  in  the 
Sentinel  to  Mr.  A.  G.  Dauby,  the  editor 
of  the  Observer^  the  opposing  side :  "Stop, 
stop,  Mr.  Dauby.  You  are  travelling  out 
of  the  record.  The  matter  at  issue  be- 
tween us  is  not  how  many  more  blunders 
you  have  made  than  you  have  apologized 
for.  Your  declaration,  November  9th, 
was  that  the  election  throughout  the  State 
had  generally  terminated  unfavorably  for 
the  Democratic-Republican  party.  This 
109 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

assertion  we  denied.  You  do  injustice  to 
yourself  by  such  a  course.  Be  frank,  be 
open-hearted.  Confess  you  have  slandered 
the  Democratic-Republican  party,  and 
that  at  that  moment  you  forgot  your  apos- 
tasy for  the  party,  and  that  you  meant  to 
write  that  the  Van  Buren  party  was  pros- 
trated and  yourself  with  it.  The  Demo- 
cratic-Republican cause  was  triumphant 
throughout  the  State,  and  that  there  never 
was  an  instance  of  so  sudden  an  overthrow 
of  a  little  self-created  autocracy.  An  arti- 
cle of  this  import  from  you,  Mr.  Dauby, 
will  be  received  by  the  Republicans  of  the 
State  as  an  ample  apology  for  the  libel  you 
have  published." 

It  was  not  alone  on  politics  that  Col- 
onel Williams  wrote  his  editorials,  for  we 
see  many  other  topics  from  time  to  time. 
On  July  13th  he  wrote  a  long  one  advo- 
cating sending  our  free  blacks  to  Hayti, 
rather  than  to  African  States  set  apart  for 
them  by  the  Colonizing  Society. 

no 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Several  editorials  on  canal  tolls  appear- 
ed, and  in  1825  one  on  railroads. 

1825 

PURRAUL  OF  SUM  SING.  By  an  Officer 
IN  THE  Madras  Army.  Published  New  York  by 
Charles  Wiley,  Collins  &  Harman,  Bliss  & 
White,  1825.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1825. 

This  was  written  by  Captain  Charles  Stuart  or  Stevens. 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Utica  and  Springfield 
Collections  United.  Consisting  of  Psalms  and 
Hymns,  Tunes,  Anthems  and  Chants  Arranged 
FOR  Two,  Three  or  Four  Voices  with  a  Figured 
Base  for  the  Organ  and  Piano  Forte,  by  Tho- 
mas Hastings  and  Solomon  Warriner.  Fifth 
Revised  Edition.  Utica,  Printed  by  William 
Williams,   1825. 

132  pp.,  large  4to,  g  x  ll  inches.  Preface  dated  January 
1,1825:  It  says,  "Part  of  the  Edition  only  has  been  exe- 
cuted in  the  quarto  form,  and  this  for  the  convenience  of 
being  bound  with  miscellaneous  extracts  published  by  ama- 
teurs of  this  village."  Note  at  end  of  volume  says  "The 
Chants  have  been  thrown  into  an  appendix,  which  does  not 
accompany  the  whole  edition." 

Musica  Sacra  was  also  published  with  the  appendix  in- 
cluding Chants  in  8vo  form. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  REPOSITORY  MAGA- 
ZINE. Published  and  Printed  by  William  Wil- 
liams, Utica,  1825. 

THE  ENGLISH  READER  or  Pieces  in  Prose 
AND  Poetry,  Selected  from  the  Best  Writers. 
Designed  to  Assist  Young  Persons  to  Read  with 
Propriety  and  Effect;  to  Improve  their  Lan- 

III 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 
GUAGE   AND    SENTIMENTS;   AND    TO    INCULCATE    SoME 

OF  THE  Most  Important  Principles  of  Piety  and 
Virtue. 

With  a  Few  Preliminary  Observations  on  the 
Principles  of  Good  Reading  by  Lindley  Mur- 
ray. Author  of  an  English  Grammar,  &c.,  &c. 
Stereotyped  from  the  Last  English  Edition. 
Utica,  Published  by  William  Williams,  Number 
60  Genesee  Street,  1825. 

8vo,  pp.  263.  Bound  in  sheep  by  William  Williams  at 
his  bindery.  Black  label  on  back  and  gold  letters  "English 
Reader." 

A  PRACTICAL  READER  in  Five  Books  by 
M.  R.  Bartlett.  Second  Edition.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,   1825. 

REVEREND  MR.  AIKEN'S  SERMONS  on 
Theatrical  Exhibitions.     Utica,  1825. 

Advertised  December  27th  for  sale  at  A.  Seward's  book- 
store.    25  cents  each. 

Colonel  Williams  was  elected  First  President  of  the  West- 
ern Sunday  School  Union,  of  which  the  Sabbath  School 
Visitant  was  the  official  gazette. 

Mrs.  Williams  joined  the  Maternal  Association  this  year. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Almanac 
for  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  1826.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams. 

He  also  advertised  for  sale  at  his  book-store  "The  Chris- 
tian and  the  Agricultural  Almanacs." 

On  January  26th  he  was  elected  trustee  of  the  Utica  Free 
Academy. 

On  February  22nd  was  issued  a  call  for  "A  Public  Li- 
brary" signed  A.  B.  Johnson  and  others. 

On  April  igth  he  was  appointed  on  a  committee  with 
Major-General  David  Curtiss  and  Brigadier-General  Sitt 
and  Weaver  to  receive  La  Fayette,  who  was  to  visit  Utica. 

112 


WILLIAM     WILLIAMS 

On  May  3rd  he  was  appointed  on  a  committee,  with  Messrs. 
Piatt,  Bacon,  Walker  &  Maynard,  to  erect  a  statue  to  Baron 
Stuben.  On  June  3rd  it  was  dedicated  while  La  Fayette 
was  there. 

A  Bible  Class  was  formed  in  the  First  Church,  May  27th. 
Mr.  Bradish  teacher  of  First  Class,  Mr,  Williams  of  Second; 
Mr.  King  of  Third. 

Proposals  were  opened  for  the  Welland  Canal  this  year. 

On  June  7th,  Mr.  Williams  disposed  of 
his  paper,  the  Sentinel,  to  Dakin  &  Bacon, 
who  joined  it  with  the  Gazette  y^nd  on  June 
14,  1825,  appeared  Volume  i,  Number 
I,  Utica  Sentinel  and  Gazette,  printed  by 
Calwell  &  Wilson,  42  Genesee  Street. 
Later  it  was  printed  by  Northway  &  Ben- 
nett. In  the  columns  of  the  last  numbers 
of  the  Sentinel,  June   7th,  appeared 

"  To  the  Public :  Having  disposed  of 
my  interests  in  this  establishment,  I  cannot 
retire  without  expressing  my  gratitude 
to  the  public  for  the  liberal  patronage  and 
support  which  they  have  uniformly  ex- 
tended towards  me,  my  entire  confidence 
in  the  ability  of  the  new  proprietors,  and 
my  full  satisfaction  in  regard  to  the  polit- 
ical course  which    the  paper  under  their 

"3 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

direction  will  hereafter  pursue.  As  it  is 
understood  the  Columbian  Gazette  is  to  be 
united  to  this  establishment,  I  am  happy 
in  being  able  to  say  that  I  cordially  ap- 
prove of  the  arrangement,  and  am  well 
convinced  that  such  a  union  will  not  only 
be  beneficial  to  the  present  proprietors^ 
but  advantageous  to  the  public,  and  will 
tend  to  strengthen  the  political  bands.  I 
have  received  satisfactory  assurances  that 
the  political  character  of  the  paper  will 
remain  essentially  the  same,  and  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  it  will  meet  the  entire 
approbation  of  my  patrons  and  friends. 
As  we  may  shortly  expect  another  struggle 
with  our  political  adversaries,  it  becomes 
us  to  be  well  prepared  for  the  contest.  I 
conceive  that  this  arrangement  will  closely 
and  effectually  unite  our  forces,  promote  the 
general  cause  of  the  PEOPLE  and  insure 
their  success  at  the  future  elections.  One 
triumph  has  already  been  gained,  to  the 
accomplishment  of  which  the  editor  has 

114 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

the  satisfaction  of  reflecting  that  he  con- 
tributed his  exertions.  A  more  arduous 
conflict,  perhaps,  still  awaits  us,  and  it 
behooves  us  to  rally  around  the  standard 
and  secure  the  benefits  of  success  by  ef- 
fective and  united  eflbrt. 

William  Williams." 

WOODBRIDGE'S  RUDIMENTS  OF  GEOG- 
RAPHY ON  A  New  Plan.  Fifth  Edition  Accom- 
panied WITH  AN  Atlas.  Hartford,  Oliver  D. 
Cooke  &  Sons.  Sold  also  by  J.  W.  Burdett, 
Boston.  Goodale  &  Company,  Hallowell.  Isaac 
Hill,  Concord.  C.  Goodrich,  Castleton.  D. 
Steele  &  Son,  Albany.  W.  Williams,  Utica.  S. 
B.  Collins,  New  York.  H.  C.  Carey  and  I.  Lea, 
Philadelphia.  Phil.  F.  Lucas,  Baltimore.  U.  T. 
Hobby,  Augusta,  Ga.  Bartelle  &  Townsend, 
Mobile.  S.  Babcock  &  Company,  Charleston. 
1825. 

1826 

THE  CHRISTIAN  REPOSITORY  MAGAZINE. 
Printed  and  Published  by  William  Williams, 
1826. 

THE  WESTERN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  VISI- 
TANT.  New  Series,  Volume  I,  II,  HI,  1826,  1827, 
1828.     William  Williams,  Utica. 

Advertisement  for  "Justice's  Manual  by  Thomas  G. 
Waterman  just  received  at  Williams'  Book  Store"  March 
4th. 

On  January  31,  1826  was  started  the   Utica  Intelligencer 

115 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Volume  I,  Number  i.  Every  Tuesday  morning,  William 
Tracy,  Editor.  Ira  Merrell,  printer,  Genesee  and  Liberty 
Streets.  December  26th  he  inserted  a  new  and  enlarged 
advertisement  of  books  and  stationery  at  the  old  stand,  60 
Genesee  Street.  General  Stationery  supplies,  blank  books. 
Mr.  Williams  had  furnished  his  printing  shop  with  new  type 
and  a  new  bindery. 

Volume  III,  Number  52  of  the  Western  Recorder  was  pub- 
lished December  26th.  Edited  by  Thomas  Hastings  and 
printed  by  Hastings  &  Tracy.  Under  the  patronage  of  West- 
ern Educational  Society  and  Auburn  Theological  Seminary. 

The  first  railroad  in  the  United  States  was  opened  in  New 
England  during  this  year. 

INQUIRY  INTO  THE  NATURE  OF  SPECU- 
LATIVE FREE  MASONRY,  by  John  G.  Stearns. 
Utica,  for  the  Author,  1826. 

109  pp.  and  9.  i8mo.  No  name  of  printer  but  William 
Williams. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1827.  Utica, 
William  Williams. 

THE  TRIAL  OF  SAMUEL  PERRY  Who  Mur- 
dered His  Wife  on  June  ist  1826,  with  a  Sketch 
OF  His  Life  and  Death.  By  a  Neighbor.  "The 
Way  of  the  Transgressor  is  Hard."  Utica, 
Printed  by  William  Williams,  Number  60  Gen- 
esee Street,  1826. 

Pamphlet,  pp.  14,  I  blank.  Probably  by  Jason  Lothrop. 
The  murder  was  committed  in  Newport,  Herkimer  County. 
Trial  was  September  ii,  1826,  before  Judge  Nathan 
Williams,  Circuit  Judge. 

1827 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  of  Our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.    Translated  out  of  the 

116 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Original  Greek,  and  with  the  Former  Trans- 
lations Diligently  Compared  and  Revised. 
Stereotyped  by  H,  &  R.  Waller,  New  York. 
Utica,  Printed  and  Published  by  William  Wil- 
liams,   1827. 

270  pp.,4to.  Wright  in  his  American  Bibles  says,  "Wil- 
liam's New  Testament,  1827,  was  based  upon  Phinney's 
quarto  of  1 820. "  It  may  have  been  from  the  same  stereotype 
plates.  Mr.  Williams  published  a  New  Testament  in  1817 
and  1819  and  it  was  more  likely  based  upon  his  own  former 
editions  and  Phinney  took  his  from  this. 

CANIADAU  SION  SEF  CASGLIAD  O  HYM- 
NAU  A  SALMAU.    Utica,  William  Williams,  1827. 

Pages  253  to  266  contain  the  English  version  of  a  few 
hymns  from  the  selections  in  use  among  the  Presbyterian 
and  Congregational  Churches  in  America.  By  Timothy 
Dwight,  D.D.,  President  of  Yale  College. 

The  type  for  the  Welsh  Hymnal  was  set  up  by  Mr.  Wil- 
liams' eldest  son,  S.  Wells  Williams. 

JUVENILE  PSALMODY:  Prepared  for  the 
Use  of  Sunday  Schools,  at  the  Request  of  the 
Directors  of  the  Western  Sunday  School  Un- 
ion: by  Thomas  Hastings,  Author  of  a  Disser- 
tation ON  Musical  Taste,  One  of  the  Editors  of 
MusicA  Sacra,  &c.  Utica,  Western  Sunday 
School    Union.     W.    Williams,     Printer,    1827. 

36  pp. 

THE  ENGLISH  READER,  or  Pieces  in  Prose 
AND  Verse,  Selected  from  the  Best  Writers. 
Designed  to  Assist  Young  Persons  to  Read  with 
Propriety  and  Effect;  to  Improve  their  Lan- 
guage AND  Sentiments,  and  to  Inculcate  Some  of 
the  Most  Important  Principles  of  Piety  and 
Virtue.     By  Lindley  Murray.  Author  of  "An 

117 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

English  Grammar,"  &c,,  &c.  To  Which  Are 
Prefixed  the  Definitions  of  Inflections  and 
Emphasis,  and  Rules  for  Reading  Verse,  with  a 
Key,  Exhibiting  the  Method  of  Applying  Those 
Principles  to  the  Pronunciation  of  Written 
Language.  The  Inflections,  as  well  as  Em- 
phasis, Are  also  Actually  Applied,  by  Sensible 
Characters,  and  Agreeably  to  the  Directions 
Contained  in  the  Key  to  the  Whole  of  Mr.  Mur- 
ray's Selections.  By  M.  R.  Bartlett,  Author  of 
"  The  Practical  Reader."  Stereotyped  by  H. 
&  E.  Phinney,  Cooperstown.  Utica,  Printed 
AND  Published  by  William  Williams,  Number 
60  Genesee  Street,  1827. 
pp.  252  sheep. 

THE  MUSICA  SACRA  or  Utica  and  Spring- 
field Collections  United.  By  Thomas  Hastings 
AND  Solomon  Warriner.  Sixth  Edition.  Utica, 
Printed  and  Published  by  William  Williams, 
1827. 

ARTIST'S  AND  TRADESMEN'S  GUIDE  by 
John  Shepard.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1827. 

THE  HOLY  BIBLE.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1827. 

4to  and  mentioned  by  Wright. 

MAP  of  the  State  of  New  York  by  John 
Fish.  Printed  by  William  Williams.  Utica, 
1827.  Engraved  by  Balch  and  Stiles.  Includ- 
ing Stage,  Canal  and  Steamboat  Register. 

A  POEM  ON  the  Distressing  and  Affecting 
Death  of  Reverend  Josiah  M.  Muspratt.  Killed 
at  Whitesboro  Factory,  May  1827. 

118 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Small  sheet.  No  place  or  printer.  Probably  by  William 
Williams. 

FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Almanac. 
For  the  Year  of  Our  Lord,  1828.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams. 

FREE  MASONRY.  A  Covenant  with  Death. 
A  Discourse  at  Hornby,  Stuben  County.  June 
3RD  1828,  BY  Reuben  Sanborn  (once  a  Royal 
Arch    Mason),  8vo. 

No  place  or  date.     But  Utica,  New  York,  1828. 
It  is  probable  this  was  printed  by  William  Williams  at 
60  Genesee  Street. 

1828 

MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK  by 
John  Fish.  Printed  by  William  Williams,  Utica, 
1828.  Engraved  by  Balch  &  Stile.  Including 
State,  Canal  and  Steamboat  Register. 

MEMOIRS  OF  ANDREW   SHERBURNE.     A 

Pensioner  of  the  Navy  of  the  Revolution. 
Written  by  Himself. 

"They  That  Go  Down  to  the  Sea  in  Ships, 
That  Do  Business  in  Great  Waters,  They  See 
the  Works  of  the  LORD,  and  His  Wonders  in 
the  Deep."  Psalmist.  William  Williams,  Ut- 
ica,   1828. 

pp.  262. 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Utica  and  Springfield 
Collections  United,  by  Thomas  Hastings  and 
Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1828. 

THE  PATRIOT'S  MANUAL.     Comprising  Va- 

119 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Rious  Standard  and  Miscellaneous  Subjects, 
Interesting  to  Every  American  Citizen.  Proper 
also  for  Seminaries  of  Learning.  Compiled  by 
Jesse  Hopkins.  Utica,  Printed  by  William  Wil- 
liams, 1828. 
First  Edition. 

MAP  OF  THE  STATE  OF  MICHIGAN.  En- 
graved by  Balch  and  Stiles.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1828. 

ROLL  OF  MEMBERS  OF  THE  TEMPER- 
ANCE SOCIETY  of  Utica.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1828. 

COMMON  SCHOOL  MANUAL.  A  Regular 
and  Connected  Course  of  Elementary  Studies 
IN  Four  Parts.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1828. 

PRESTON'S  TABLES  OF  INTEREST  by  Ly- 
man Preston.  Interest  on  any  Sum  From  $1.00 
to  $200.00  Inclusive.  Proceeding  from  200  to 
500  by  Hundreds.  Utica,  William  Williams. 
1828. 

PRESTON'S  TABLES  OF  INTEREST  by 
Lyman  Preston.  Interest  on  Any  Sum  from  $1.00 
TO  $500  inclusive.  Proceeding  from  500  to  1,000 
BY  Hundreds,  and  from  1,000  to  5,000  by  Thou- 
sands.    Utica,  William  Williams,  1828. 

William  Williams  had  this  year  asso- 
ciated himself  with  Balch  &  Stiles,  the 
copperplate  engravers.  They  engraved 
maps  of  New  York  State  and   Michigan, 

*Appendix  I. 
120 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

also  bank  notes  for  Utica,  as  well  as  nu- 
merous western  banks.  After  Mr.  Wil- 
liams had  become  a  partner  this  year, 
their  reputation  and  growth  of  business 
led  them  to  open  an  office  and  workshop 
in  New  York  City,  where,  with  others, 
they  established  the  forerunner  of  the 
American  Bank  Note  Company. 

The  second  **City  Directory"  was  pub- 
lished this  year  with  1,554  names.  Printed 
by  Dauby  &  Maynard,  and  compiled  by 
Elisha  Harrington. 

On  April  30,  1828,  was  organized  a 
new  volunteer  fire  department,  and  Wil- 
liam Williams  was  chosen  as  Chief  Engin- 
eer. He  resigned  May  25,  1830,  and 
John  H.  Ostrom  took  his  place.  June  8, 
1 83 1,  Colonel  Williams  was  a  member 
of  LaFayette  Engine,  Number  4,  and  on 
August  31,  1 8  3  I ,  Number  4  and  Number 
5  Engine  Companies  united,  and  all  were 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Williams. 

The  first  regular  volunteer  fire  organi- 
121 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

zation  was  formed  May,  1805.  After  abig 
iire  in  February,  1804,  the  paper  thanks 
the  **  Fire  Company,"  but  it  was  not  un- 
til 1805  that  a  regular  organization  was 
formed.  William  Williams'  name  was 
enrolled  as  a  member  in  September,  1808. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  early  volun- 
teer fire  companies  were  all  important  to 
our  towns  before  fire  insurance  companies 
took  the  risk,  and  when  property  owners 
joined  the  rapks  and  fought  fires  at  the 
risk  of  their  lives. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1829.  Utica, 
William  Williams. 

1829 

LIGHT  ON  MASONRY.  A  Collection  of 
All  the  Most  Important  Documents  on  the  Sub- 
ject OF  Speculative  Free  Masonry;  Embracing 
the  Reports  of  the  Western  Committee  in  Re- 
lation to  the  Abduction  of  William  Morgan, 
Proceedings  of  Conventions,  Orations,  Essays, 
etc.,  etc.  Also  a  Revelation  of  all  the  Degrees 
Conferred  in  the  Lodge  of  Perfection,  and  Fif- 
teen Degrees  of  a  Still  Higher  Order,  with 
Seven  French  Degrees;  Making  Forty-eight  De- 
grees OF  Free  Masonry.    With  Notes  and  Crit- 

122 


lilOKT  OIV  ]»IA80]VRT: 

*.  COU.BCTI0N  OF  ALL  TOB 

MOST  IMPORTANT  DOCUMENTS 

ON  THE  S0BJECT  09 
EMBRACING 

THE  REPORTS  OF  THE  WESTERN  COMMITTEES 

IM  RBL&TIOM  TO  TBt 

ABOnOTXON  OF  ^WZLiuIAXff  lyXORGAN, 
PROCEEDINGS  OF  CONVENTIONS,  ORATIONS,  ESSAYS, &.c. S». 

•       WITH 

kLL  THE  DEGREES  OF  THE  OKDRR  CONFERRED  IN  A  MASTER'S  LODGE 

As  .(rrirtmt!)  Coytctn  wmiam  Morgan; 

ALL  THE  DEGREES  CONFERRED  IN  THE  ROYAX  ARCH  CHAPTER 

AND  ORAXD  ENCASHMENT  OF  KNIGHTS  TEMPLARS, 

WITH   THE  APPENDANT  ORDERS, 

ir ptdtisBed  tg  As  C«iM««rto*  of  Seetdinf  JUwons,  heli  U  lit  Xtf,  Jidy  4  sni  S,  ia2& 

ALSO, 

A  REVELATION 

or 

M  tbe  ©egctt?  confctccD  m  tlje  2,oDjxe  of  perfection, 

AND 

FIFTEEN  OEOUEES  OF  A  STILL  HIGHER  ORDER, 

WITH 

SEVEN  FRENCH  DEGREES: 

MAEII.'G 

FORTY-EIGHT  DEGREES  OF  FREE  MASONRY. 

iruk  Xttts  aai  Critical  Bemarkr. 


BY  ELDBB  DATID  BERNARD, 

OJ  WARSAW,  BBITBSEB  CO.  H.  T. 

Oase  tatntimUe  Secretary  in  t&e  Lodge  o(Serf»ction;  tai  Secretary  of  tLe  CoilTtativa 

of  ScMdiag  If  alaiis^^eltLat  tie.Bo7,  July  4  and  5,  tSOH. 


''r9rthtr*isntat»goatwr*inaHltaBiittt»multd,au4hUtitt»1uam»tt»kit»M.'f 
"And  must  ft  Dear  tntlunr  tlux  grtteii  v  upon  tk«  luust  tops." 

7Mas  Clirist. 


UTICA, 

WILLLAK  WXLtXAAU,  FiUNTZII,  (UTSiSC  STBBSXf 
1829. 

Title  Page  of  First  Issue  of  the  First  Edition. 


LIGHT   OBfl    MASONRYs 

A  COLLCCTfON  OF  ALL  TBC 

MOST  IMPORTANT  DOCUMENTS 

OR  THE  SUBJECT  Or 

SPECULATIVE    FREE    MASONRYJ 

EMBRACIIfO 

THE  REPORTS  OF   THE  WESTERN  COMMITTEES 

IN   BELATIOR  TO  TUB 

ABDUCTION  OF  WILLIAM  MORGANi 

PROCEEDINGS  OF  CONVENTIONS,  ORATIONS,  ESSAYS,  &c   &c. 

WITH 
ALL  THE  DECREES  OF  THE  ORDER  CONFERRED  IS  A.  MASTER'S  LODOE, 

^s  tort/fen  by  Captain  JVUliam  Morgan  i 

ALL  THE  DEGREES  CONFERRED  IN    THE   ROTAL  ARCH  CHAPTER  AND  GRAND  EN- 
CAMPMENT OF  KNIGHTS  TEUJPLARS,  WITH  THE  APPENDANT  ORDERS, 

^s  published  by  the  Convention,  of  Seceding  Masons,  held  at 
Le  Roy,  July  Ath  and  5(A,.J828. 

ALSO 

A  REVELATION  OF   ALL  THE  DE.GREES  CONFERRED 

IN    THE 

UODan  OF  PBRTSCTIdN, 

AND 

FIFTEEN  DEGREES  OF  A  STILL,  HIGHER  ORDER, 

\rlTH 

sevejc  ^'RE^rcH  degrees  t 

MAXINQ 

rORTY-EIGHT  DBORIEES    OF    FREE    MASONRY. 

With  ^otea  and  Critical  Remarjcs. 


BY    ELDER    DAVID    BERNARD, 

OF  WARSA^r,  GENESEE  CO.  N.  T. 

OoiceftD  Intimate  Secretnry  in  ihe  Lodge  of  Perlection  ;    and  Secretary  of  the  Conve&tloc 

of  Seceding  Mosoni:,  bclJ  nt  he  Roy,  July  4lh  and  otht  IS2S 

•'  For  Ihtrt  it  nothing  cnverd  that  thallnot  It  rtvealed,  an4  hid  that  thall  nc'  8c  AnoWlt.* 
"«Sn<i  \pIuU  yt.^taT  in  the  ear  that  preach  ye  ujton  the  house  topt,'' 

JesuM  CbrwI. 


-— »e©e 
UTIC  At 

WILLIAM    WILLIAMS,  PRINTER,    CENESKE-STREKt. 


13S9. 

Title  Page  of  Second  Issue  of  the  First  Edition. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

iCAL  Remarks.  By  Elder  David  Bernard.  With 
Portrait  AND  Frontispiece,"  The  Masonic  Assas- 
sination." I2M0.  Utica,  Printed  by  William 
Williams,    1829. 

506  pp.  and  55  in  separately  paged  appendix.  An  en- 
graved frontispiece  of  William  Morgan.  F.  R.  Spencer, 
Pinxit.  V.  Balch,  Sculpsit,  and  printed  at  their  office  at  Utica. 
Also  an  engraved  copy  of  A.  Cooley's  painting  "Masonic 
Assassination  of  Akirop"  by  Joubert. 

Mr.  Spencer  painted  a  miniature  copy  of  Cooley's  por- 
trait of  Morgan,  which  was  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, and  from  which  this  frontispiece  was  taken. 

There  were  three  separate  editions  of  this  book  during 
the  year.  The  last  two  are  indicated  by  the  words  "Sec- 
ond Edition,"  "Third  Edition,"  printed  on  the  reverse  of 
the  title  page,  beneath  the  copyright. 

Of  the  first  edition,  there  were  two  distinct  issues  before 
the  words  "Second  Edition"  appeared  on  the  reverse  of  the 
title  page.  The  first  one  contained  pp.  I-552,  Appendix 
i-xxxvi,  larger  type,  heavier  paper,  and  slight  variations  in 
the  title  page.  It  was  also  evidently  printed  before  Febru- 
ary, 19,  1829,  as  it  did  not  contain  the  minutes  of  the  meet- 
ing of  that  date,  which  appeared  in  the  second  issue.  The 
Erratum  on  page  552  was  omitted,  and  the  proper  correc- 
tion made  in  the  later  issue. 

LIGHT  ON  MASONRY;  A  Collection  of  All 
the  Most  Important  Documents  of  the  Subject 
OF  Speculative  Free  Masonry;  Embracing  the 
Reports  of  the  Western  Committees  in  Relation 
TO  THE  Abduction  of  William  Morgan,  Proceed- 
ings OF  Conventions,  Orations,  Essays  &c. 
Also  a  Revelation  of  All  the  Degrees  Con- 
ferred in  the  Lodge  of  Perfection,  and  Fifteen 
Degrees  of  a  Still  Higher  Order,  with  Seven 
French  Degrees;  Making  Forty-eight  Degrees 
OF  Free  Masonry,  with  Notes  and  Critical  Re- 

127 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

MARKS  BY  Elder  David  Bernard,  with  Portrait 
OF  William  Morgan  and  Frontispiece  "The 
Masonic  Assassination."  i2Mo.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1829. 

Some  copies  have  "Fourth"  and  some  "Fifth"  edition 
printed  on  the  reverse  of  title  page.  pp.  532.  55  pp.  ap- 
pendix separately  paged.  The  pages  added  to  the  first  issue, 
507  to  532  inclusive,  contain  "The  most  recent  revision  of  the 
ritual  of  the  Ineffable  Degrees."  The  paper  is  larger  and 
finer. 

The  engraved  frontispiece  "Portrait  of  Morgan"  is  not 
identical  with  the  portrait  of  him  which  appeared  in  Thur- 
low  Weed's  Autobiography,  Volume  I,  p.  210.  Boston  and 
New  York,  1884. 

In  "Light  on  Masonry"  he  sits  at  a  desk  with  the  right 
hand  raised  to  the  head,  and  it  shows  a  table  and  books.  In 
the  other  neither  the  hand  nor  desk  appears. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  of  Our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Translated  out  of  the 
Original  Greek,  and  with  the  Former  Trans- 
lations Diligently  Compared  and  Revised, 
Utica,  Printed  by  Williams,  1829. 

BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  THE  FIRST  PRESBY- 
TERIAN CHURCH  OF  Utica  and  Names  of  its 
Members.  Utica,  William  Williams,  January 
1ST  1829. 

Pamphlet  pp.  16,  410. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  in  the  Douai  Ver- 
sion, Compiled  by  John  Dubois,  Bishop  of  New 
York.     Utica,  William  Williams. 

l2mo,  pp.  344. 

The  Historical  Magazine ^  Volume  II, 
p. 276,  says:  "The  '  Devereux  Testament* 

128 


William  M  o  liS  aiy 


,/.'/;. 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

is,  we  believe,  the  only  edition  of  the 
Rheims  or  Catholic  version  of  the  New 
Testament  published  in  New  York  State 
outside  of  the  City  of  New  York  (1582 
was  the  year  the  Rheims  translation  was 
made  from  the  Latin  Vulgate).  Messrs. 
Nicholas  Devereux,  of  Utica,  and  Lewis 
Willcocks,  of  New  York,  both  zealous 
Roman  Catholic  gentlemen,  denied  the 
accusation  of  Roman  Catholics  discoun- 
tenancing the  dissemination  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  agreed  to  furnish,  at  their  own 
expense,  stereotype  plates  if  some  society 
would  print  and  disseminate  the  copies. 
It  was  accordingly  stereotyped  and  ap- 
proved by  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop 
Dubois,  of  New  York,  and  for  some  cause 
was  declined  to  be  printed  by  the  Society. 
So  it  was  printed  for  the  proprietors  by 
William  Williams,  12  mo.,  344  pp,  copy- 
right, dated  September,  1828.  Editions 
of  I  829,  1 831,  1833,  ^^35>^^  Utica,  and 
great  numbers  distributed  in  Ohio,  through 

131 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

the  Western  Reserve,  and  the  Valley  of 
the  Mississippi.  Davis,  of  Utica,  is  said 
to  have  published  an  edition  from  the 
plates  in  1 840,  but  they  were  finally  sold 
to  Sadlier,  of  New  York. 

"  E.  O'Callaghan." 
In  this  edition  occurs,  James  V,  17: 
"  Elias  was  a  man  possible  like  unto  us," 
a  misprint,  for  the  Roman  Catholic  trans- 
lation, "  Elias  was  a  man  passible  like  unto 
us." 

Reverend  John  Wright, 

Bibles  of  America, 

New  York,  1894. 
As  indicated  by  publishing  "Light  on 
Masonry,"*  Colonel  Williams  took  a  lively 
interest  in  the  anti-Masonic  trouble,  which 
perturbed  not  only  New  York  State  but 
the  whole  country,  and  finally  became  a 
national  question.  William  Morgan  had 
been  abducted,  September  12,  1826,  for 
writing  and  publishing  "  Illustrations  of 

*Appendix  VII. 

132 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Masonry.'*  After  the  anti-Masonic  Con- 
vention of  Leroy,  July  4,  1828,  the 
Utica  Convention  met  August  4,  5,  6, 
1828,  and  it  was  there  resolved  to 
have  Elder  David  Bernard's  "  Light  on 
Masonry  "  printed.  The  Williams  press 
immediately  set  about  to  undertake  it,  so 
enthusiastic  were  they  in  this  movement. 
On  the  following  February  19,  1829, 
the  Albany  Convention  met  in  the  As- 
sembly room  with  William  Williams, 
Richard  R.  Lansing,  Nicholas  Devereux, 
Satterlee  Clark  and  Thomas  A.  Palmer 
as  delegates  from  Oneida  County,  and  its 
publication  was  delayed  until  the  proceed- 
ings of  this  convention  could  be  added  as 
an  appendix  to  the  book.  Ten  thousand 
copies  of  the  convention  proceedings  were 
then  ordered  printed  and  distributed  broad- 
cast. A  committee  appointed  to  ascertain 
truths  of  Masonic  revelations  consisted  of 
Messrs.  Cooke,  Hascall,  Fairchild,  Wil- 
liams and   Southwick    (Mr.  William  H. 

133 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Seward  was  delegate  from  Cayuga  Coun- 
ty). Mr.  Cooke  read  a  report  from  the 
committee  on  "Truths,"  and  speeches 
were  made  by  Messrs.  Cooke,  Williams 
and  Ward,  and  upon  motion  of  Thurlow 
Weed  the  report  was  adopted.  Later,  on 
March  15,  1829,  the  State  Central  Com- 
mittee, at  Rochester,  appointed  Messrs. 
Nicholas  Devereux,  William  Williams, 
Field  and  Morris  as  trustees  for  the  fund 
of  relief  for  Mrs.  Lucinda  Morgan  and 
her  infant  children. 

The  flame  of  excitement  was  intense 
while  it  lasted,  and  men  of  earnest  convic- 
tions, who  acted  from  principle,  judged 
it  was  from  abuse  that  the  high  principles 
of  Masonry  were  being  trodden  in  the 
dust,  and  so  soon  as  this  abuse,  caused  by 
a  few  local  lodges,  was  set  aside,  the 
movement  passed  over  and  anti-Masonry 
ceased  to  be  a  factor. 

Northway  &  Porter,  of  Utica,  printed, 
in  I  829,  the  fifth  edition  of  "  Inquiry  In- 

134 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

to  the  Nature  of  Speculative  Free  Ma- 
sonry and  Appendix  of  Plain  Truth,"  by 
John  G.  Stearns,  Minister  of  Paris,  New 
York.  The  first  edition  appeared  July 
I,  1826,  two  months  before  Morgan's 
abduction. 

May  7th  the  first  number  of  the  Elucidator  was  printed 
in  Utica  by  Northway  &  Porter,  and  edited  by  B.  B.  Hotch- 
kins. 

THE  FARMER'S  CALENDAR,  or  Utica  Al- 
manac FOR  THE  Year  of  Our  Lord  1830.  Utica, 
William  Williams. 

September  5,  1829,  there  was  celebrated  the  Fourth 
Anniversary  of  the  Western  Sunday  School  Union.  Wil- 
liam Williams,  President,  in  the  chair.  J,  E.  Warner,  Sec- 
retary. Mr.  Williams  declined  a  re-election,  and  Gerrett 
Smith  was  elected  President,  with  William  Williams,  Abram 
Varick,  Samuel  Stocking,  representatives  from  Oneida  Coun- 
ty- .  , 

Jeremiah  Evarts'  "Law  and  Logic  of  Colonel  Johnson's 
Report  on  Sabbath  Mails"  was  published  by  G.  S.  Wilson. 
Printed  by  J.  Colwell  in  1830. 

THE  ELUCIDATOR.  A  Weekly  Anti-Ma- 
sonic Newspaper  Printed  by  William  Williams. 
Utica,  1830.     B.  B.  Hotchkiss,  Editor. 

Mr.  Williams  continued  printing  this  paper  until  Feb- 
ruary 18,   1834. 

THE  JUVENILE  INSTRUCTOR,  For  Use  of 
Teachers  in  Infant,  Sabbath  and  Primary- 
Schools  BY  Thomas  Hastings.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1830. 

135 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

THE  TIMBER  MEASURER,  by  Otis  Whip- 
ple.    Utica,  William  Williams,  1830. 

BASCOM'S  SYSTEM  OF  PENMANSHIP  in 
Four  Parts.  Published  at  Utica  by  William 
Williams,  1830.  All  Four  Writing  Books  with 
Engraved  Copies  in  Each  Part. 

12J  cents  each.  j^Q.oo  per  100.  Advertised  in  the  Elu- 
cidator,  February  16,  1830. 

A  DISSERTATION  ON  THE  MEDICAL 
PROPERTIES  and  Injurious  Effects  of  the 
Habitual  Use  of  Tobacco.  Read  by  Appoint- 
ment before  the  Medical  Society  of  the  County 
OF  Oneida,  at  Their  Semi-Annual  Meeting,  Jan- 
uary 5TH  1830,  by  a.  McAllister,  M.D.  Utica, 
Press  of  William  Williams,  Genesee  Street,i830. 

pp.  24. 

THE  CITIZEN'S  GUIDE:  Comprehending 
THE  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the 
State  of  New  York,  together  with  Chapters 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  ofthe  Revised  Statutes 
Entitled  "of  the  Powers,  Duties  and  Privileges 
of  the  Towns,"  and  "of  the  Powers,  Duties  and 
Privileges  of  Counties,  and  of  Certain  County 
Officers."  Arranged  and  Illustrated  with 
Questions,  Explanations  and  References  and 
Designed  to  Be  a  Useful  Manual  of  the  Citizen 
of  this  State,  and  for  the  Use  of  Common  Schools 
by  Andrew  T.  Yates,  A.M.,  Professor  of  Juris- 
prudence AND  Modern  Languages, in  the  Poly- 
technic, New  York.  Utica,  Press  of  William 
Williams,  Genesee  Street,  1830. 

121  pages.     Large  8vo. 

On  the  Tax  Roll  of  the  City  of  Utica  for  1 830  appeared 

136 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

"William  Williams.  Real  Estate,  Broad  Street,  $3,900. 
Vacant  Lot  East  of  Miller  basin,  $2,500.  Personal  Property, 
14,000.  Total  tax,  $17.28.  Thomas  Walker,  collector." 
In  the  February  i6th  number  of  the  Elucidator  it  said 
"  Commission  Paper  Warehouse  opened  by  William  Williams. 
Merchantable  printing  paper.  Writing  and  wrapping  paper  of 
all  kinds.  Bonnet  Boards  and  press  papers  from  Brandywine 
Company  of  Pennsylvania.  Goodwin  &  Sons.  H.  Hud- 
son. Butler  &  Barton  of  Connecticut.  R.  Donaldson, 
New  Jersey."     Another  notice  in  the  same  number  said: 


WILLIAM  WJLLL\>LS, 


WSZ^^J^r^ 


Boil  .-uu)  JaV-riinUiw  and  book-Kindiii;  dani-  m  •IkX  .Vitin-. 


"Wood  &  Copper  plate  engraving.  Balch  Stiles  &  Com- 
pany, 34  Merchants'  Exchange,  New  York  for  bank  bills. 
Other  orders  executed  at  60  Genesee  Street,  Utica,  New  "^'ork. 

Signed,      V.  Balch, 
S.  Stiles. 
W.  Williams." 


137 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

On  the  same  date  he  advertised  "Twenty  Tons  of  Lin- 
en rags  for  sale  from  Rome,  Hamburg  and  Theresa.  Signed 
William  Williams." 

Also  just  received  and  for  sale  "Masonic  Almanac  for 
1830"  by  William  Williams.  "W.  Williams  is  agent  for 
William  Hagan  and  Company,  type  and  stereotype  found- 
ers, also  for  John  T.  Wells  and  Robert  Hoe  &  Company, 
patent  printing  presses.  Further  advertisement  "Agent  for 
North  American  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal,  $5.00  per 
annum." 

In  **  Fifty  Years  Among  Authors,  Books 
and  Publishers,"  J.  C.  Derby  says:  "My 
first  employer  was  Henry  Ivison,  in  Au- 
burn, 1834.  He  came  to  Utica,  in  1820, 
from  Scotland,  and  was  left  as  a  lad  twelve 
years  of  age  by  his  parents  (who  returned 
to  Scotland)  in  the  family  of  William 
Williams,  and  was  there  nine  years. 

In  1820,  William  Williams  had  the 
largest  book-store  west  of  Albany.  In 
1830,  Henry  Ivison  went  to  Auburn  and 
entered  the  book  business.  Mr.  Williams 
bought  his  stock  of  books  for  him,  and 
sent  his  son  Wells  with  him.  Mr.  Sey- 
mour, of  Auburn,  furnished  $i,6oo  and 
was  to  have  one-half  the  profits.  Wells 
138 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


Williams  remained  several  months  and 
returned  to  Utica. 

Mr.  Henry  Ivison,  in  a  letter  to  Wil- 
liam Williams'  son,  Robert  S.  Williams, 
of  Utica,  January  i8,  1882,  says  in  speak- 
ing of  his  own  successful  career  :  "  It  has 
been  owing  in  no  small  degree  to  the  in- 
fluences for  good  in  your  father's  family^ 
of  which  I  was  a  privileged^  member  for 
nearly  nine  years.  I  thank  my  God  every 
day,  and  upon  every  remembrance  of  your 
dear  and  blessed  mother.  A  mother,  and 
more  than  a  mother  to  me  during  all  these 
formative  years,  her  precious  memory  is 
embalmed  in  mine,  and  my  life  has  been 
largely  influenced  by  her  beautiful  example 
and  precept ;  and  not  alone  in  my  case, 
but  in  the  case  of  others  has  that  life  and 
influence  been  spreading  ever  since." 

Robert  Roberts  entered  the  office  in 
1830,  and  found  there  Samson,  Webster, 
North,  Wilson,  Shepard,  Ivison  and  Ever- 
est.  He  was  the  successor,  and  established 

139 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY     PRINTER 

a  job  office  in  1839.  In  1847,  with  R. 
W.  Sherman  and  Edwin  K.  Colson,  he 
formed  the  Utica  Herald,  which  he  car- 
ried on  till  his  death,  in  November,  1874. 
His  brother,  the  Honorable  Ellis  H. 
Roberts,  being  the  editor. 

The  Utica  Anti-Masonic  Convention 
met  June  21,  1830,  and  nominated  Wirt 
and  Ellmaker  for  a  Presidential  ticket. 
Jackson  defeated  both  opponents,  but  Ver- 
mont cast  seven  electoral  votes  for  the 
Anti-Masonic  ticket. 

1831 

THE  ANTI-MASONIC  ALMANAC  for  1831, 
BY  Edward  Gibbons.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1831. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  in  the  Douai  Ver- 
sion— Compiled  by  John  Dubois,  Bishop  of  New 
York.  For  the  Proprietors.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1831. 

THE  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR  by  Lindley 
Murray.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1831. 

ENGLISH  READER  by  Lindley  Murray. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  183 i. 

140 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

THE  ARTICLES  OF  THE  SYNOD  OF  DORT, 
BY  Thomas  Scott.     Utica,  William  Williams,  i  83  i  . 

Advertised  December  19,  1831.     Price  ;^l.oo. 

HOLISSO  HOLITOPA,  CHITOKAKA  CHISUS 
im  Anumpeshi  Luk,  Chani  Itatuklo  Kut  holli- 

SOCHI    TOK    MaK    O,    a    KaSHAPA     KUT    ChAHTA    IM 
ANUMPA     ISHT     HOLOSSO     HOKE.      UtICA,     PrESS     OF 

William  Williams,  Genesee  Street,  1831. 

Pp.  1-152,  I  1.  i6mo.  Gospels  of  Luke  and  John  and  a  few 
chapters  of  Mark  in  the  Choctaw  language,  a  copy  in  the 
American  Tract  Society.  By  Rev.  Alfred  Wright.  Pilling 
number  97. 

CHAHTA  IKHANANCHI,  OR  THE  CHOC- 
TAW INSTRUCTOR:  Containing  a  Brief  Sum- 
mary OF  Old  Testament  History  and  Biography; 
WITH  Practical  Reflections,  in  the  Choctaw 
Language.  By  a  Missionary.  Utica,  Press  of 
William  Williams.     1831. 

Pp.  l-i57,l6mo.  By  Loring  S.  Williams  and  Rev.  Al- 
fred Wright.  Mr.  Wright  was  born  March  i,  1788,  in  Col- 
ombia, Conn.,  died  March  31, 1853.  Graduated  at  Williams 
College  and  Andover  Theological  Seminary. 

See  Pilling. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HIS 
BRETHREN.  In  the  Choctaw  Language. 
Utica,  Press  of  William  Williams,  1831. 

Pp.  1-48,  24mo.  On  verso  of  title-page  it  says:  "This 
little  tract  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Joseph  Dukes,  a  native  inter- 
preter, for  its  existence.  Reprinted  in  1836.  Captain 
Joseph  Dukes  was  born  in  the  Choctaw  nation,  in  what  is 
now  a  part  of  Mississippi,  in  1811.     He  died  in  1861. 

See  Pilling. 

141 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

CHAHTA  VBA  ISTL  TALOA  HOLISSO,  OR 
CHOCTAW  HYMN-BOOK.  Utica,  William 
Williams,   1831. 

The  first  edition  was  printed  in  Boston,  Mass.,  1829, 
48  pp.     See  Pilling. 

A  CONCISE  TREATISE,  upon  the  Powers 
AND  Duties  of  the  Principal  State,  County  and 
Town  Officers.  For  the  Use  of  Schools.  By  a 
Gentleman  of  the  Bar.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, Publisher  and  Printer,  60  Genesee  Street, 
1831. 

SPIRITUAL  SONGS  for  Social  Worship,  Part 
I,  BY  Thomas  Hastings.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1 83 1. 

DISSERTATION  ON  MUSICAL  TASTE,  by 
Thomas    Hastings.     Utica,    William    Williams. 

PART  OF  GENESIS,  in  the  Choctaw  Lan- 
guage.    Utica,  William  Williams,  1831. 
24mo.     Mentioned  in  Wright's  American  Bibles. 

CRITICAL  AND  EXPLANATORY  NOTES 
BY  EzEKiEL  I.  Chapman.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1 83 1. 

i2mo. 

TRIAL  OF  WILLIAM  PERRY.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1831. 

14   pp.    pamphlet. 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Utica  and  Springfield 
Collections  United,  by  Thomas  Hastings  and 
Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1831. 

300  pp.9  ^  X  5^  inches,  pp.  287  to  300  comprise  the 
*'  Juvenile  Instructor  as  Appendix."  Stereotyped  by  William 
Hagar  &  Company,  29  Gold  Street,  New  York. 

142 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

THE  EVANGELICAL  PRIMER:  by  Joseph 
Emerson.  Minister  of  Beverly,  Mass.  and  Prin- 
cipal OF  Female  Seminary  at  Wethersfield, 
Conn.  72  cents.  Boston,  Crocker  &  Brewster. 
New  York,  Johnathan  Leavitt.  Sold  by  Wil- 
liam Williams,  Utica,  New  York,  1831. 

Not  printed  by  W.  Williams,  but  one  of  the  numerous 
imprints  with  his  name  appended  to  the  title-page  as  sales 
agent. 

THE  JUVENILE  INSTRUCTOR.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  183  i. 

A  PRAYER.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1831. 
An  anti-masonic  reading-room  was  opened  at  number  44 
Genesee  Street  in  May  of  this  year. 

It  was  on  November  12,  18  31,  that 
Mr.  Williams  lost  his  wife.  He  had  been 
in  New  York  City  on  business  and  arrived 
home  November  4th.  His  infant  son 
Thomas,  born  on  November  nth,  sur- 
vived his  mother  only  a  few  hours.  On 
January  10,  1831,  Mr.  Williams  had  lost 
his  ten  months  old  son,  Alfred  Pell  Wil- 
liams, who  was  named  after  one  of  his 
business  friends  in  New  York.  Mr.  Pell 
stereotyped  the**Murray's  Reader"  of  18  3  2. 
Mrs.  Williams  was  the  mother  of  a  long 
line  of  children,  but  still  she  had  the  time 

143 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

and  inclination  to  do  for  others,  besides 
having  as  many  as  eight  apprentices  in  her 
home  at  a  time. 

On  the  back  cover  of  "Musica  Sacra,"  1831,11  says,  "Mu- 
sic of  every  description  typographically  executed  by  William 
Williams.  The  following  are  novp  in  store  and  offered  for 
sale  at  reasonable  prices.  Kollman's  Essay  on  Musical 
Harmony.  Hastings' Dissertation  on  Musical  Taste.  Call- 
cott's  Musical  Grammar,  New  edition.  Musica  Sacra. 
Appendix  to  same.  Songs  of  the  Temple  Handel  &  Haydon. 
American  Psalmody.  Christian  Lyre.  Thorough-bass  Prim- 
er. Christian  Sabbath.  The  Lord's  Prayer.  Handel's 
Messiah.  Little  &  Smith's  Easy  Instructor.  Flute  Melodies. 
Violin  Preceptor.  Hastings'  Musical  Reader.  Violin,  Flute, 
Fife,  Hautboy  &  Clarionet  Preceptor,  Lock  Hospital.  At- 
well's  Sacred  Harmony.  Harmonia  Sacra.  Instrumental 
Preceptor.  Worcester's  Christian  Psalmody.  Gamuts  with 
and  without  blank  staffs." 

We  know  the  Williams  press  printed 
many  of  the  above,  and  it  shows  how  ex- 
tensive was  his  musical  department,  insti- 
gated by  the  presence  of  such  a  genius  as 
Thomas  Hastings  in  the  community. 

DABOLL'S  ARITHMETIC,  Hastings  &  Tracy; 
Printed  in  William  William's  Printing  Shop  for 
Hastings  &  Tracy.     Utica,  1831. 

1832 

ANTI-MASONIC  ALMANAC  For  the  Year 
1832.  Number  V  by  Edward  Giddings.  Utica, 
William  Williams    1832. 

144 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  of  Our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Translated  out  of  the 
Original  Greek,  and  with  the  Former  Trans- 
lations Diligently  Compared  and  Revised. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1832. 

School  edition,  i8mo. 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  the  Utica  and  Spring- 
field Collections  United.  By  Thomas  Hastings 
&  Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1832. 

MURRAY'S  ENGLISH  READER  by  Lindley 
Murray  v^^ith  a  Key  by  M.  R.  Bartlett.  Stere- 
otyped BY  A,  Pell  &  Brother,  New  York  City. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1832. 

DABOLL'S  ARITHMETIC:  Printed  by  Has- 
tings &  Tracy.     Utica,  1832. 

Although  his  name  does  not  appear  this  was  printed  in 
William  Williams'  shop  as  was  the  case  with  "Spiritual 
Songs"  of  1833. 

SPIRITUAL  SONGS  For  Social  Worship.  Part 
II  BY  Thomas  Hastings.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1832. 

It  was  in  this  year  that  the  cholera  raged 
in  Utica,  and  took  off  many  of  its  best 
citizens.  Among  them  were  Mr.  Talcott 
and  William  H.  Maynard,  both  trustees 
of  the  Utica  Free  Academy.  Colonel 
Williams  was  very  active  in  his  charitable 

145 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

work  amongst  the  sick-poor,  and  did  a 
noble  service  for  the  city  in  improving  its 
sanitary  condition.  Personal  disaster  com- 
menced to  show  itself  as  well,  when  Mr. 
Williams'  agency  for  the  Edinburgh  En- 
cyclopedia of  Philadelphia,  for  which  he 
had  been  agent  since  1814,  failed.  It  had 
formerly  been  very  remunerative,  but  evi- 
dently his  collections  were  poor,  and  his 
failure  in  business,  which  came  later,  was 
largely  due  to  this  enterprise  of  the  Ency- 
clopedia. Utica  was  incorporated  as  a 
city,  with  Joseph  Kirkland  as  Mayor,  in 
1832.  On  November  5th,  Colonel  Wil- 
liams was  in  New  York  City  on  business, 
as  shown  from  a  letter  written  to  his 
mother-in-law,  dated  from  there. 

1833 

MUSICA  SACRA  or  Utica  and  Springfield 
Collections  United.  By  Thomas  Hastings  & 
Solomon  Warriner.      Utica,  William  Williams, 

1833- 
THE   ANTI-MASONIC  ALMANAC  for   the 

146 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

Year  1833,     by  Edward  Giddings.     Utica,  Pub- 
lished AND  FOR  Sale  by  William  Williams,  1833. 

THE  SUBSTANCE  OF  AN  ADDRESS  in  Favor 
OF  Temperance  Societies  Delivered  at  Rome, 
New  York,  February  26th,  1833,  by  George  W. 
Bethune,  of  Utica.     William  Williams,  1833. 

SPIRITUAL  SONGS  for  Social  Worship,  Vol- 
ume I,  1831,  Volume  II,  1832  United  in  One  Vol- 
ume. By  Thomas  Hastings.  Utica,  Hastings 
&c  Tracy.     William  Williams,  Printer,   1833. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  in  the  Douai  Ver- 
sion, Compiled  by  John  Dubois,  Bishop  of  New 
York.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1833. 

THE  MOTHER'S  MAGAZINE.  Volume  I. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1833. 

THE  CHRISTIAN'S  INSTRUCTER  (sic)  Con- 
taining A  Summary,  Explanation  and  Defence 
of  the  Doctrines  and  Duties  of  the  Christian 
Religion,  by  Josiah  Hopkins,  A.M.,  Pastor  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Auburn,  New 
York.  Second  Edition.  "To  the  Law  and  to  the 
Testimony."  Isaiah.  Auburn,  H.  Ivison  &  Com- 
pany. New  York,  N.  &  J.  White,  Jonathan 
Leavitt.  Utica,  William  Williams.  Gardiner 
Tracy,  1833.     William  Williams,  Printer,  Utica. 

313  pp.  Small  8vo. 

First  Auburn  edition  was  1831  by  H.  Ivison,  Auburn, 
New  York. 

First  edition  was  probably  1825,  New  Haven,  as  auth- 
or's preface  is  dated,  New  Haven,  October  13,  1825. 

This  year  the  Elucidator  was  edited  by  Samuel  P. 
Lyman,  Attorney-at-law. 

H7 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

On  March  26,  1833,  Colonel  Williams  married  Catherine 
Huntington  of  Rome,  New  York,  daughter  of  Henry  Hunt- 
ington.    There  were  two  sons  by  this  marriage. 

The  Anti-Masonic  party  dissolved  this  year  and  became 
"Whig." 

There  appeared  this  year  "Obigue,  a  spelling  book  de- 
signed for  the  use  of  native  learners  (illustrated)  by  E.  James, 
Utica.  Printed  by  G.  Tracy.  1833."  500  copies 
printed. 

1834 

THE  MOTHER'S  MAGAZINE,  Volume  H. 
Utica,  William  Williams,  1834. 

FLUTE  MELODIES  by  E.  Leach.  Published 
AND  Printed  by  William  Williams,  Utica,  1834. 

MUSICA  SACRA,  or  the  Utica  and  Spring- 
field Collections  United.  By  Thomas  Hastings 
and  Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Wil- 
liams, 1834. 

OPINION  OF  HONORABLE  ALFRED  CONK- 
LING,  District  Judge  of  the  United  States  for 
THE  Northern  District  of  New  York,  on  a  Mo- 
tion IN  Behalf  of  the  Tenant  for  a  New  Trial 
IN  THE  Case  of  Martha  Bradstreet  versus 
Henry  Huntington.  Delivered  at  the  May 
Term  of  the  Court  in  1834.  Press  of  William 
Williams  in  MDCCCXXXIV,  with  a  Rec^uest 
FOR  Publication  Signed  by  John  C.  Spencer, 
Samuel  Beardsley,  C.  P.  Kirkland,  W.  C.  Noyes, 
B.  F.  Cooper,  Charles  A,  Mann,  E.  A.  Wetmore, 
Ethan  B.  Allen,  J.  H.  Ostrom,  J.  A.  Spencer, 
S.  D.  Dakin,  Willard  Crofts,  T.  R.  Walker, 
John  Bradish,  Ward  Hunt,  August  28,  1834. 

148 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

THE  MOTHER'S  HYMN  BOOK.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1834, 

THE  INFANT  MINSTREL.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1834. 

THE  UNION  MINSTREL.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1834. 

THE  MOTHER'S  NURSERY  SONGS.  Utica, 
William  Williams,  1834, 

In  January,  1834,  the  EluciJator  advertised  3,000  copies  of 
Irving's  "Columbus"  for  sale  by  William  Williams. 

March  22nd,  appeared  the  notice  of  a  new  paper  in  New 
York,  The  New  Torker  by  H.  Greely  &  Company. 

April  1st,  S.  Wells  Williams  sent  tracts  printed  in  Chinese 
for  friends  in  Utica. 

February  i8th  appeared  the  last  number  of  the  Elucida- 
tor  bearing  the  name  of  W.  Williams  as  proprietor. 

In  May  i834theCity  Library  was  mentioned  as  flourishing. 

On  March  25,  1834,  a  notice  appeared 
in  the  Elucidatory  [the  anti-Masonic  paper 
which  had  been  run  at  a  loss],  of  the 
Sheriff's  sale  of  the  stock  of  William  Wil- 
liams, to  take  place  April  15,  1834. 
Notice  signed  S.  M.  Mott,  Sheriff.  N.  S. 
Metcalf,  Deputy.  A  catalogue  of  all  his 
books  and  stock  was  printed  for  it.  An 
adjourned  sale  of  remains  with  second 
printed  catalogue  was  set  for  May  12,18  34. 
149 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

On  May  20th,  was  issued  Volume  I, 
Number  I,  of  the  Orieida  Whigy  which 
was  the  continuation  of  the  Sentinel  and 
Gazette  combined  with  the  Elucidator. 
"E.  Northrup,  Jr.,  Printer  and  Publisher." 

The  failure  of  the  publishing  house  oc- 
curred this  year,  and  was  brought  on  by 
the  failure  to  collect  the  subscriptions  to 
the  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia,  and  the 
nonpayment  of  notes  which  Mr.  Williams 
had  endorsed  for  business  friends. 

In  a  letter  by  him  of  February  17, 
1840,  he  says  :  "  I  was  confident  all  my 
real  estate  should  be  sold  at  once,  and 
that,  too,  in  1834,  but  I  was  over-ruled. 
The  taxes  ever  since,  and  interest  accounts, 
have  been  accumulating  on  about  $  i  5,000, 
and  no  income  except  about  $40.00  per 
annum  on  two  small  lots  east  of  the  Basin. 
The  execution  of  $5,000  in  favor  of  Charles 
Kirkland  is  the  most  favorable  thing  that 
has  happened  under  the  assignment,  as  it 
has  brought  a  quietus,  and  I   am  a  happy 

150 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

man  to  what  I   have  been  in  the  last  six 
years." 

His  creditors  saw  fit  to  run  the  estab- 
lishment under  his  name  until  1840,  ex- 
pecting to  pay  the  creditors  from  what 
they  realized,  but  it  ran  behind  every  year 
and,  as  might  be  expected  from  a  man  of 
Mr.  Williams' conscientious  nature,  no  one 
worried  over  it  more  than  he.  He  was 
retained  by  them  to  run  the  office  until 
1836,  when  he  moved  with  his  family  to 
Tonawanda,  Erie  County,  New  York;  but 
he  made  frequent  trips  back  to  Utica  to 
help  straighten  matters  out,  as  appears  from 
extracts  from  his  later  correspondence, 
such  as :  "  In  i  8  3  8  I  was  in  Utica  in  July, 
weighing  type,  &c.,  for  taking  stock." 

1835 
THE  MUSICAL  MAGAZINE,  2  Volumes.    Ut- 
ica.    William  Williams,  1835. 

THE  MOTHER'S  MAGAZINE.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1835. 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT  in  the  Douai  Ver- 
sioN.  Compiled  by  John  Dubois,  Bishop  of  New 
York.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1835. 

151 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

The  "  Historical  Catechism,"  eighth  edition  pubhshed  by 
Henry  Tuttle  and  printed  by  EH  Maynard  this  year,  states 
that,  in  i794,Utica  had  twenty  families;  in  1813,  1,300  people; 
in  1820,  2,972  ;  and  in  1835,10,000  inhabitants.  Growth 
due  chiefly  to  the  Erie  Canal. 

An  anti-slavery  Society  was  formed  in  Utica  on  October 
2 1  St. 

Mr.  Asahel  Seward,  his  old  partner,  died. 

1836 

THE  MOTHER'S  MAGAZINE.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,  1836. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  JOSEPH,and  His  Breth- 
ren. In  the  Choctaw  Language,  by  John  Dukes. 
Reprint  of  the  183 i  Edition.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1836. 

MURRAY'S  ENGLISH  READER,  by  Lindley 
Murray.  Key  by  W.  R.  Bartlett.  Utica,  Wil- 
liam Williams,   1836. 

MURRAY'S  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR  by  Lind- 
ley Murray.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1836. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  BOOK-KEEPING  by 
Levi  Harris.     Utica,  William  Williams,  1836. 

MUSICA  SACRA,  or  the  Utica  and  Spring- 
field Collections  United  by  Thomas  Hastings 
&  Solomon  Warriner,  Tenth  Edition.  Utica, 
William  Williams,  1836. 

DABOLL'S  ARITHMETIC.  Utica,  William 
Williams,  1836. 

THE  FARMER'S  ALMANAC  for  1837.  Pub- 
lished    BY     IVISON      &     PhINNEY,     CoOPERSTOWN. 

Printed  by  William  Williams. 
152 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

It  was  this  year  that  Colonel  Williams 
moved  with  his  family  to  Tonawanda,  as 
shown  by  his  son  Robert's  dismissal  from 
the  Sunday  School,  dated  June  26,  1836; 
and  in  a  letter  written  by  him,  October  6, 
1836,  he  mentions  his  sons  John  and 
Robert,  with  his  wife  Catherine,  having 
returned  home  to  Tonawanda  with  him 
that  year.  Mr.  Ellis  H.  Roberts,  late 
United  States  Treasurer,  who  entered  the 
printing  office  this  year,  writes  under  date 
of  April  28,  1904  : 

"  I  was  doubtless  the  last  person  taken 
into  the  employment  of  your  grandfather's 
printing  office,  at  60  Genesee  Street,  Utica, 
New  York.  This  was  in  1836,  when  I 
was  nine  years  old.  A  book-store,  in  which 
business  was  not  vigorously  pressed,  occu- 
pied the  ground  floor  of  the  building,  and 
a  bindery  the  first  floor  above,  while  the 
printing  office  was  in  the  next  or  third 
story.  My  oldest  brother,  Robert  W., 
was  the  foreman,  and  two  other  men  were 

153 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

employed.  One  hand  press  was  kept  fairly 
busy  in  turning  out  the  sheets  of  'Daboll's 
Arithmetic'  from  stereotype  plates  which 
had  seen  their  best  days.  *Ivison  and  Phin- 
ney's  Almanac'  was  also  printed  there  from 
plates  in  that  year,  and  job  printing  was 
done  as  orders  came  in.  My  own  tasks 
were  to  push  a  hand  roller  over  the  forms 
on  the  press  ;  and,  to  reach  the  handle,  a 
box  of  considerable  size  was  necessary  to 
lift  me  to  the  required  level.  Incidentally 
I  washed  the  rollers,  and  as  I  remember 
well,  carried  wood  and  water  up  the  high 
stairs. 

"Your  grandfather  came  to  the  office 
occasionally,  not  frequently.  He  appears 
to  me  now  as  a  venerable  gentleman — 
what  his  years  were  I  do  not  recall — con- 
siderate and  kindly.  It  happened  that  in 
an  interval  of  work,  Mr.  Williams  found 
me  reading  Cooper's  *  Lionel  Lincoln,' 
doubtless  lent  to  me  from  the  store.  He 
questioned  me  of  my  estimate  of  the  char- 

154 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

acters,  encouraged  me  to  read  good  books, 
saying  that  this  story  was  a  good  lesson  in 
patriotism,  but  some  other  of  Cooper's 
works  were  of  higher  merit  and  more  en- 
joyable. That  is  the  chief  incident,  to  a 
lad  of  ten,  which  he  has  carried  in  his 
memory  for  nearly  half  a  century  of  a  man 
with  whom  his  start  in  life  was  connected. 
He  was  the  foremost  man  that  it  had  been 
my  good  fortune  up  to  that  time  to  have 
speech  with.  Of  course  I  looked  up  to 
him  from  a  far  distance,  but  no  other 
figure  of  that  period  outside  of  my  own 
family  remains  so  distinctly  with  me." 

1837 

DISCOURSES  ON  THE  TEMPTATIONS  OF 
CHRIST.  By  Seth  Williston,  Author  of  the 
Harmony  of  Divine  Truth.  "For,  in  that  He 
Himself  Hath  Suffered  Being  Tempted,  He  is 
Able  to  Succor  Them  that  Are  Tempted."  Utica. 
Press  of  William  Williams,  1837. 

152  pp.  i8mo. 

GRAMMATICAL  INSTRUCTOR  or  Common 
School  Grammar,  by  Oliver  B.  Pierce.  Print- 
ed  BY  William   Williams,    1837. 

155 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

COMMON  SCHOOL  GRAMMAR  in  Minia- 
ture. 

One  large  folio  sheet,  printed  on  one  side  only  and  not 
bound  in  the  "Grammatical  Instructor."  No  name  or 
date,  but  William  Williams,  Utica,  1837. 

1838 

MEMOIRS  OF  MRS.  ANN  B.  POWELL,  Con- 
taining A  Short  Account  of  Her  Life  and  Death. 
Utica,  Press  of  William  Williams,  1838. 

Small  8vo,  69  pp. 

MUSICA  SACRA,  or  Utica  and  Springfield 
Collections  United  by  Thomas  Hastings  and 
Solomon  Warriner.  Utica,  William  Williams, 
1838. 

Mr.  Williams,  who  now  acted  merely 
in  the  capacity  of  superintendent,  spent 
some  time  in  Utica  during  this  year,  clos- 
ing out  the  book  store  and  printing  house, 
all  of  which  was  finally  disposed  of  in  i  840. 

Mr.  James  Watson  Williams,  of  Utica, 
in  an  address  January  3  i,  1868,  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  new  Academy  building,  says: 

"In   1838,  Dr.  Charles    Coventry   was 

elected  to  succeed  William  Williams,  who 

had  removed  from  the  city.     Mr.  Williams 

long  survived  this  date  (he  died  1 850),  but 

156 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 


did  not  appear  any  more  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Academy. 

**  Mr.  Hubbard  and  he  were  both  worthy 
of  being  commemorated  as  gentlemen  of 
good  name  and  high  standing,  and  of  that 
character  to  give  fair  repute  to  whatever 
they  were  associated  with.  Mr.  Williams 
was,  in  his  day,  one  of  the  most  active  and 
liberal  men  in  the  community,  engaged  in 
all  enterprises  of  local  interest,  educational, 
political  and  religious.  His  personal  ap- 
pearance was  very  prepossessing,  and  he 
was  a  man  of  attractive  and  popular  man- 
ners. His  later  years  were  clouded  by 
adversity  and  infirmity,  partly  the  result  of 
an  over-activity  and  enterprise." 

Mr.  James  Watson  Williams  served  with 
him  on  the  Academy  Board  of  Trustees 
for  the  last  two  years  of  Mr.  William  Wil- 
liams' term.  Mr.  Loring  S.  Williams  re- 
turned from  his  missionary  work  among 
the  Choctaw  Indians  this  year. 

There  was  printed  this  year  from  another  press :  "Notice 
of  Men  and  Events  Connected  with  the  Early  History  of 


AN    ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Oneida  County.  Two  lectures  delivered  before  the  Young 
Men's  Association  of  the  City  of  Utica.  By  William 
Tracy.  Published  at  the  request  of  the  Association,  Utica. 
E.  Northway,  Jr.,  Printer,  Ii6  Genesee  Street,  1838." 

November  16,  1838,  a  letter  from  Colonel  Williams  from 
Tonawanda  says,  "I  visited  Buffalo  for  four  days  as  one  of 
the  Supervisors  of  Erie  County.  At  that  time  I  tried  to  get 
James  [his  son]  into  the  Daily  Commerctal  Advertiser  office, 
published  by  Salsburg  &  Manchester."  Later,  he  adds, 
"Several  of  my  former  apprentices  have  been  very  success- 
ful in  Ohio." 

April  5,  1839  he  says,  "Jim  and  I  keep  bachelor's  hall 
in  a  small  way.  He  milks  the  cows,  makes  the  beds,  feeds 
the  pigs  and  such  like.  Mr.  Huntington  \his  wife's  father] 
is  soon  to  send  two  families  from  Rome,  one  to  take  the  St. 
John  house  where  we  now  are.  When  their  families  arrive 
we  expect  to  be  dismissed." 

On  July  6,  1839  Mr.  Williams  writes  from  Tonawanda, 
"I  was  in  Buffalo  a  few  days  ago.  There  is  no  light  on  my 
path  except  the  perfect  silence  of  my  friends  in  Utica.  John 
is  taken  into  Mr.  Clarke's  family  and  Sophia  may  go  to  Cuba, 
Alleghany  County,  New  York.  In  early  life  I  was 
troubled  by  heavy  losses,  mostly  by  endorsing. "  May  24, 
1841,  he  spoke  of  going  to  Rome  in  a  few  weeks  by  the  way 
of  Cuba,  New  York,  where  he  will  stay  three  weeks.  He 
also  wrote,  "I  now  pay  C.  F.  Williams  $2.00  per  week  board 
and  am  very  comfortably  taken  care  of.  I  work  his  garden 
as  a  matter  of  recreation  and  I  hunt  and  fish.  I  have  no 
money  worth  naming  and  have  friends  who  have  dared  to 
advance  me  money  to  go  to  Rome  with;  but  Tonawanda  is 
the  place  for  me,  and  I  am  quite  contented." 

It  was  in  1841  that  Mr.  Williams  was 
the  victim  of  a  severe  accident,  having 
been  thrown  from  the  top  of  a  stage  coach, 
striking  on  his  head,  which,  added  to  his 

158 


WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

financial  troubles,  affected  his  mind  so  that 
he  was  not  fully  recovered  before  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Utica,  June  10,1850. 
His  wife's  father,  Henry  Huntington,  in 
his  will  dated  May  27,  1842,  says: 
"  Sixthly.  William  Williams,  the  husband 
of  my  daughter  Catherine  Williams,  is 
laboring  under  some  pecuniary  embarrass- 
ments ;  and  I  have  judged  it  to  be  most 
considerate  to  the  comforts  of  my  daughter 
and  her  family,  so  to  dispose  of  the  one  of 
the  said  five  shares  of  the  said  residue  of 
my  estate,  as  that  the  same  share  in  no 
event  be  subjected  to  the  control  of  the 
said  William  Williams." 

His  declining  years  were  saddened  not 
only  by  adversity  financially,  but  by  men- 
tal incapacity  due  to  this  accident.  His 
work  had  been  done  and  his  influence  had 
been  beneficial  to  the  community.  He 
returned  to  Utica  about  i  846,  and  died  at 
his  home,  48  Broad  Street,  June  10, 1850. 
A  brass  tablet  put  up  by  his  son,  Robert  S. 

159 


AN     ONEIDA    COUNTY    PRINTER 

Williams,  at  the  right  of  the  pulpit  in  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Utica,  bears 
the  following  inscription : 

IN    MEMORY  OF 
WILLIAM    WILLIAMS 

1787        1850 

ONE  OF  THE  FOUNDERS  AND  ORIGINAL 
ELDERS  OF  THIS  CHURCH,  FIRST  SUPER- 
INTENDENT OF  ITS  SUNDAY  SCHOOL, 
AMONG  THE  FOREMOST  IN  DEVOTION 
TO  ITS  WELFARE  AND  THE  EXTEN- 
SION OF  ITS  INFLUENCE,  AN  EXEM- 
PLARY CHRISTIAN, AN  AFFECTIONATE 
FRIEND,  A  LOYAL  CITIZEN,  HE  SPENT 
HIS     ACTIVE     LIFE    IN      DOING       GOOD. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX    I 

IN  1758  General  John  Stanwix,  who  had  come 
to  North  America  that  year  as  Colonel  of 
the  First  Batallion,  60th  Royal  Ameri- 
cans, was  sent  by  General  Abercrombie,  follow- 
ing his  defeat  at  Ticonderoga,  to  build  a  fort  on 
the  site  of  Old  Fort  Williams,  named  from  Cap- 
tain William  Williams  of  Sir  William  Pepper- 
ill's  regiment,  who  had  been  in  command  of 
the  fort  a  short  time.  It  had  cost  1266,400, 
but  was  in  ruins  when  the  Revolution  broke 
out.  In  1776  it  was  repaired  by  General  Day- 
ton and  called  Fort  Schuyler  (after  General 
Phillip  Schuyler),  but  as  Old  Fort  Schuyler  was 
only  twenty  miles  distance  at  the  present  site  of 
Utica  the  name  was  not  a  popular  one  and 
usually  went  by  the  name  of  Fort  Stanwix,  ex- 
cept in  official  documents  during  the  war.  Old 
Fort  Schuyler  had  been  built  earlier  and  was  the 
station  of  General  Gansevort  with  the  Third 

163 


APPENDIX 

New  York  Continentals,  At  this  time  all  the 
territory  West  of  Schenectady  was  called  by  the 
general  name  of  Tyron  County,  but  in  1784 
was  changed  to  Montgomery  County.  Ontario 
County  was  cut  off  West  of  Seneca  in  1789, 
and  two  years  later  Tioga.  Otsego  and  Herki- 
mer were  still  further  subdivisions.  It  was  not 
until  1798  that  Oneida  was  made  out  of  a  part 
of  Herkimer,  and  later  St.  Lawrence,  Jefferson, 
Lewis  and  Oswego  were  cut  off  from  Oneida. 

APPENDIX    II 

ONE  of  the  brethren  left  at  home,  termed 
the  New  England  Colonists  in  a 
book  called  "  Ward's  Simple  Cob- 
bler :  "  "A  colony  of  wild  opinionists  swarmed 
into  a  remote  wilderness  to  find  elbow  room  for 
their  fanatic  doctrines  and  practices." 

John  Camden  Hotten  in  his  "  Early  Emi- 
grants to  America,"  New  York,  1 874,  page  200, 
states:  "In  the  register  of  persons  of  quality 
preserved  at  Somerset  House,  London,  can  be 
found  one  of  the  Passenger  Lists  on  the  John 
and  Dorothy,  Captain  William  Andrews,  which 
set  sail  from  Ipswich,  April  8th,  1637.  Robert 
WilliamSjof  Norwich,  in  Norfolk  County;  Cord- 
wyner  (cobbler),  aged  28  years,  and  Elizabeth 

164 


APPENDIX 

Stalham,  his  wife,  with  four  children,  Samuel, 
John,  Elizabeth,  Debra  (sic)  ;  Mary  Williams, 
aged  1 8  years;  Annie  Williams,  aged  i  5  years  ; 
New  England  to  inhabitt  (sic)."  Some  few 
parts  of  the  document  are  eaten  away  by  age. 
On  May  2,  1638,  Robert  Williams  with  the 
same  family,  and  two  servants  (Mary  and  Annie) 
appeared  as  freeman,  settled  in  Roxbury,  Nor- 
folk County,  New  England. 

Among  the  other  fellow  passengers  on  the 
boat  are  given :  Nicholas  Busbie  (or  Busby), 
Weaver,  Norwich;  Michael  Metcalfe,  Weaver, 
Norwich  ;  John  Pers,  Weaver,  Norwich  ;  Will- 
iam Nickerson,  Weaver,  Norwich  ;  John  Baker, 
Grocer;  Thomas  Paine,  William  Thomas  and 
about  35  others.  To  find  the  immediate  cause 
of  their  embarkation  refer  to  "  The  Antipathie 
of  the  English  Lordly  Prelacy,"  by  William 
Prynne,  Esq.,  Utter  Barrister  of  Lincoln's  Inn, 
London,  1641,  Second  Part,  page  271. 

"That  during  the  time  of  Matthew  Wren 
(father  of  Sir  Christopher  Wren)  being  Bishop 
of  Norwich,  by  reason  of  the  continual  super- 
stitions, bowing  to  and  afore  the  table  set  altar- 
wise;  the  suspending,  silencing,  driving  away  of 
the  painful  preaching  ministers ;  suppressing 
and  forbidding  of  sermons,  prayer,  and  putting 
down  the  lecturer ;  the  suppressing  the  means 
165 


APPENDIX 

of  knowledge  and  salvation  and  introducing 
ignorance,  superstition  and  prophaness,  many  of 
his  Majestie's  subjects,  to  the  number  of  3,000, 
many  of  which  used  trades,  namely:  Daniel 
Sunning,  Michael  Metcalf,  John  Berant,  Nich- 
olas Metcalf,  John  Derant,  Busby  and  others 
[some  of  them  setting  one  hundred  poor  peo- 
ple to  work],  have  removed  themselves,  their 
families  and  estates  into  Holland  and  other  parts 
beyond  the  seas." 

Upon  examination  we  find  the  name  of 
Michael  Metcalf  and  Mr.  Busby  upon  both  lists, 
which  allows  the  natural  inference  that  Robert 
Williams,  too,  was  one  who  "  removed  beyond 
the  seas"  with  his  family  on  account  of  the 
prelatical  abuses  of  Bishop  Wren  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  lived.  His  father,  Stephen, 
was  a  cobbler  in  Great  Yarmouth,  the  seaport 
of  Norwich.  In  Ellis'  History  of  Roxbury, 
1847,  Robert  Williams  appears  upon  the  re- 
cords, both  in  1647  and  1653,  as  one  of  the  five 
select  men  of  Roxbury.  He  donates  four  shil- 
lings to  the  Free  School  upon  the  list  of  sub- 
scribers, and  in  1668,  the  Foeffs,  William  Parks 
and  Robert  Williams  engage  Mr.  Prudden  to 
teach  in  the  school.  In  1690  when  John  Eliot 
had  died,  to  whose  church  Robert  Williams  be- 
longed, the  list  of  donations  given  by  houses,  ac- 
166 


APPENDIX 

cording  to  former  owners  appears  :       "  Robert 
Williams  (now  Stevens)  two  shillings." 

APPENDIX    III 

BARRY'S  History  of  Framingham,  1847. 
Page  440. 
"Thomas  Williams  and  his  wife, 
Susanna,  admitted  to  the  church  from  Roxbury, 
1782,  and  had  in  Framingham,  according  to 
the  church  records:  I.  Thomas,  born  June 
4th,  1782;  II.  Patty  (Martha),  born  June  1st, 
1785;  III.  "Billy,"  born  October  i2th,  1787. 
Thomas  Williams  and  his  family  moved  to 
Whitestown,  New  York  State,  May  i  ith,  1790. 
David  Kellogg,  of  Amhurst,  Mass.,  was  in- 
stalled pastor  at  Framingham  Church,  January 
loth,  178 1,  and  was  the  one  who  baptised  the 
children." 

APPENDIX    IV 

COPY  of  a  letter  written  by  William 
Williams  to  his  sister  Martha: 
"Dear  Sister:  I  have  performed 
the  most  solemn  and  most  important  trans- 
action that  '  a  worm  of  the  dust '  can  per- 
form in  this  world.  No  act  whatever  that  I  can 
hereafter  perform  will  be  in  itself  so  important. 
167 


APPENDIX 

I  have,  before  God,  and  in  presence  of  Angels 
and  men,  avouched  the  Lord  to  be  my  God, 
and  have  been  received  into  the  communion  of 
Christ's  visible  church.  Oh !  how  easy  a  mat- 
ter to  be  a  member  of  the  Church  on  earth ! 
We  have  only  to  pass  the  examination  of  men, 
who  cannot  know  the  heart.  God  only  knows 
that.  We  can  deceive  creatures  like  ourselves; 
but  the  Almighty  we  cannot  deceive.  How 
careful  should  we  be  then  that  we  do  not  de- 
ceive ourselves,  or  that  Satan  does  not  deceive 
our  souls.  God  in  his  mercy  has  been  pleased 
to  give  us  a  rule,  even  his  own  word,  whereby 
we  may  examine  and  know  ourselves.  If  we 
neglect  to  do  this,  the  guilt  is  on  our  own  heads. 

"  I  hope  I  have  been  faithful  in  the  examina- 
tion of  my  wicked  and  deceitful  heart.  I  think 
I  am  willing  to  give  up  all  for  an  interest  in 
Christ  It's  into  His  hands,  I  trust,  I  have  com- 
mitted myself;  and  all  that  I  am  relying  upon 
is  the  merits  of  his  atonement  for  my  salvation. 

"  And  this  I  know,  that  if  I  am  deceived  in  the 
hope  I  have  and  am  finally  lost  in  endless  ruin, 
God  will  be  just  in  my  damnation ;  for  I  have 
broken  his  law  which  is  perfectly  just  and  holy  ; 
and  have  forfeited  all  claim  to  his  mercy ;  and 
that  he  has  a  sovereign  right  to  have  mercy  on 
whom  he  will   have  mercy.      His  Grace  is  free 

i68 


APPENDIX 

and  unmerited,  and  I  have  no  claim  to  his  par- 
doning goodness.  I  feel  a  greater  desire  to  live 
wholly  to  God  than  I  have  ever  before  done ;  to 
live  a  holy  life  because  holiness  is  lovely;  be- 
cause it  is  pleasing  in  the  light  of  a  Holy  God. 
I  feel  conscious  of  having  discharged  my  duty, 
for  how  could  I  live  with  the  hope  that  I  had  ex- 
perienced the  pardoning  grace  of  God  and  not 
make  humble  and  public  profession  of  it !  How 
could  I  read  these  words  of  my  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter ('  he  that  is  ashamed  to  acknowledge  me  be- 
fore men  of  him  will  I,'  etc.  See  Mark  viii 
38).  I  think  that  I  am  not  ashamed  of  Christ 
and  his  religion,  but  I  have  abundant  reason  to 
be  ashamed  of  myself.  *  But  let  a  man  exam- 
ine himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread  and 
drink  of  that  cup.*  *  For  he  that  eateth  and 
drinketh  unworthily  eateth  and  drinketh  damna- 
tion to  himself  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body.' 
"Sister,  excuse  me  to  brother  John — I  have 
quite  neglected  him  in  not  writing  him  this  long 
ago.  I  have  not  forgot  him  though;  I  think 
of  him  frequently  and  of  his  soul's  welfare  of 
which  I  hope  he  is  not  unconcerned  ;  for  his  soul 
is  worth  more  than  the  whole  world.  Tell  him 
to  think  of  these  things,  to  think  of  them  seri- 
ously before  it  is  too  late — forever  too  late. 
Tell  him  the  arm  of  the  Lord  is  not  shortened 
i6q 


APPENDIX 

that  he  cannot  save,  nor  his  goodness  exhausted 
that  he  cannot  have  mercy.  Tell  him,  I  beseech 
you,  that  Christ  died  for  sinners,  and  that  He 
pardons  all  that  are  truly  penitent,  '  those  that 
come  unto  him  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out;' 
and  that  he  sees  those  that  are  cominof  afar  off. 
Be  mindful  of  sister  Laura.  She  is  young,  to 
be  sure ;  but  she  is  old  enough  to  know  the 
Lord.  Remember  me  to  my  dear  parents.  I 
hope  they  still  receive  all  needful  supplies  of 
grace  from  that  Lord  who  giveth  liberally  and 
upbraideth  not. 

I  am  your  affectionate  brother, 

William. 
To  Martha  Williams, 

Utica,  July  ii,   1808. 


c 


APPENDIX   V 

OPY  of  a  dairy  kept  by  William  Wil- 
liams on  a  trip  by  stage-coach  to  New 
Flaven,  Conn.      March,  18 10. 


THIS    MY    JOURNEY    UP    TO    TOWN,  ETC. 

March  i6th,  18 10.  Left  Utica  at  7  a.  m. 
Snow  at  least  4  inches  deep,  and  very  cold  and 
blustering. 

In   every  situation   we   are   placed   however 

170 


APPENDIX 

barren  of  speculation  it  may  appear ;  however 
destitute  of  novelty,  or  however  void  of  amuse- 
ment, there  may  be  some  useful  instruction  col- 
lected by  the  industrious  mind,  as  the  diligent 
hand  will  gather  many  flowers  from  an  appar- 
ently barren  soil.  For  instance,  a  seat  in  an 
empty  stage,  or  rather  I  should  say  a  stage 
stuffed  with  trunks,  ban-boxes,  mail  bags,  etc.; 
to  be  crammed  in  with  all  this  loose  stuff,  tossed 
from  one  side  of  the  carriage  to  the  other  as  you 
thrash  along  over  the  frozen  ground,  would  not 
be  a  situation  for  reflection  or  useful  meditation. 
To  be  sure  this  is  not  exactly  my  case,  but  it 
comes  within  one  of  it.     If  kind  fortune  had  not 

thrown  Miss  T into  the  stage  just  at  this 

time,  which  was  as  unexpected  as  to  have  had 
Jupiter  drop  a  Goddess  from  high  Olympus, 
my  situation  would  have  been  exactly  what  I 
could  not  have  wished. 

As  fond  as  I  am  of  solitude  I  should  not  like 
to  have  been  alone  among  so  much  rubbish — 
"  misery  loves  company  !  "  It  is  possible  I 
have  deceived  myself,  but  it  is  by  no  means 
probable  in  this,  that  I  have  formed  so  favora- 
ble an  opinion  of  my  fair  companion  in  distress. 
She  has  evidently  lightened  the  load  of  distress. 
She  is  far  from  being  handsome  as  well  as  my- 
self, but  then  she  is  agreeable,  inasmuch  as  that 
171 


APPENDIX 

she  is  instructive,  and  at  the  same  time  pleasant 
and  easy  in  her  manner. 

A  good  beginning  is  a  good  thing;  so  I  was 
determined  before  we  had  proceeded  one  mile 
to  perform  an  act  of  benevolence.  Our  driver, 
in  his  haste  to  start,  had  left  his  mittings  be- 
hind ;  observing  him  to  be  somewhat  uneasy 
respecting  the  state  of  his  hands,  which  were  as 
red  as  a  goose's  pad,  I  pulled  off  my  gloves  and 
gave  them  to  him,  and  have  done  my  best  to  keep 
my  own  hands  from  freezing  by  turning  down 
the  cuffs  of  my  coat.  (Thus  the  first  day.  Put 
up  at  the  half-way-house  from  Albany,  Mr. 
Shepards.  I  now  experience  the  difficulty  of 
writing  when  and  where  there  is  a  house  full  of 
noisy  travellers.) 

REFLECTIONS 

How  much  easier  it  is  to  write  nonsense  than 
wit,  especially  where  there  is  nothing  else  but 
follv  about  you. 

March  17th,  18 10.  The  weather  has  not 
moderated,  but  it  has  ceased  snowing.  Wind 
still  in  the  N.  W.,  and  blows  a  gale  constantly. 

Our  stage  broke  down  in  a  fortunate  mo- 
ment. A  few  rods  before  we  descended  a  steep 
hill  a  number  of  loaded  wagons  passed;  the 
driver  of  the  last  one  cried  out,  "  Stop  for 
172 


APPENDIX 

heaven's  sake,  your  king-bolt  is  broken."  Be- 
fore the  horses  could  be  stopped  the  carriage 
body  slid  against  one  of  the  fore  wheels  and 
shivered  the  spokes  in  such  a  manner  as  to  ruin 
the  wheel.  Had  it  not  been  for  this  timely  dis- 
covery, in  all  probability,  we  should  at  least 
have  been  sadly  flurried.  There  appeared  in 
the  eyes  of  those  who  are  fond  of  the  marvel- 
ous a  kind  of  fatality  attached  to  this  spot;  it 
being  directly  opposite  that  place  in  the  river 
where  Esqr.  Van  Eps  was  drowned  only  a  few 
days  since.  Not  having  heard  the  particulars 
of  this  accident  before  I  left  home  I  was  much 
interested  by  the  recital  of  it  by  one  of  our  pas- 
sengers. "  Van  Eps,  his  son,  and  one  other 
gentleman  were  crossing  the  Mohawk,  near 
where  a  small  creek  empties  into  it.  The  ice 
was  not  sufficiently  strong  to  bear  them,  they 
all  went  in  together.  The  son  of  Van  Eps  was 
a  good  swimmer,  knowing  his  father  could  not 
help  himself  he  grasped  him  immediately,  cau- 
tioning him  at  the  same  time  not  to  be  frigh- 
tened for  he  could  save  him."  Ah!  the  arm  of 
man  is  too  short  and  weak  to  help  when  God 
withholds  his  aid  !  "  The  boy  swam  with  his 
father  to  the  edge  of  the  ice,  and  helped  him 
up,  but  the  moment  he  had  got  upon  his  knees 
so  as   to  crawl  to  a  place  of  greater  safety  the 

n3 


APPENDIX 

ice  gave  way  for  yards  around  him.  The  son 
again  caught  his  father  the  moment  he  arose  to 
the  surface  of  the  water,  carried  him  to  another 
place  where  he  hoped  the  ice  would  support 
him,  as  the  third  person  (the  gentleman  we 
have  before  mentioned  as  having  broken  in 
with  them)  had  saved  himself  by  crawling  up 
on  the  ice  there.  But  this  fond  hope  was  soon 
blasted,  as  he  was  lifting  his  parent  out  of  his 
watery  grave  his  strength  failed  him,  his  father 
slipped  back,  and  being  directly  on  the  edge, 
the  current  took  him  under  the  sound  ice,  and 
his  body  has  never  been  found.  The  son 
was  so  far  exhausted  as  not  to  be  able  to  extri- 
cate himself,  but  with  the  timely  assistance  of  his 
friend  his  life  was  saved."  This  melancholly 
event  happened  in  a  dark  night.  The  next 
morning  the  whole  country  round  about 
Caughnawaga,  in  which  place  the  accident  hap- 
pened, were  assembled  to  make  search  for  the 
lost  body.  The  ice  in  the  river  was  cut  up  for  a 
great  distance  below  where  Van  Eps  fell  in ; 
canons  were  fired  on  the  ice  with  a  hope  of  rais- 
ing the  body,  but  all  in  vain. 

Two  or  three  girls  who  have  made  preten- 
tions of  being  able  to  see  and  tell  where  any- 
thing is,  on  this  occasion  had  a  fair  trial  of  their 
ability.     There  was  about  500  people  present 

174 


APPENDIX 

when  these  wonders  of  the  age  went  upon  the 
ice  with  great  ceremony,  who  were  earnestly 
looking  for  a  miracle  wrought.  After  looking 
through  the  magic  glass  they  went  to  a  very 
favorable  spot  (an  eddy),  pronounced  to  the 
friends  of  the  deceased,  "there  the  man  lies, 
with  his  arms  folded."  The  ice  was  soon  cut 
away,  but  as  strange  as  it  may  appear  no  man 
could  be  found.  Resort  was  now  made  to 
stratagem  ;  the  girls  declared  the  body  has  risen 
and  floated  to  such  a  place,  they  again  de- 
clared very  minutely  the  posture  in  which  it 
laid.  The  people  willing  to  be  deceived  fell  to 
cutting  the  ice  in  the  new  place :  but  on  their 
not  finding  any  signs  of  a  man,  some  of  the 
more  scrupulous  Dutchmen  began  to  suspect 
"prophets."  However  they  were  able  to  lead 
many  around  in  this  manner  for  the  most  of  the 
day.     A  thousand  were  thus  undeceived." 

It  was  past  five  o'clock  before  we  arrived  in 
Schenectady.  Miss  T.  left  us  at  this  place. 
She  is  a  Dutch  lady,  but  not  the  less  agreeable 
on  that  account.  We  were  informed  by  her 
that  she  had  spent  some  years  in  Connecticut, 
and  I  verily  believe  she  was  made  a  Yank  in 
that  time.  She  is  a  professed  Christian  and 
carries  her  religion  wherever  she  goes.  Piety 
makes  amends  for  everything  else ;  for  without 

175 


APPENDIX 

it  beauty  appears  but  to  please  the  eye,  it  will 
not  interest  the  heart  or  improve  the  mind. 

Any  person  who  has  seen  the  city  of  Schen- 
ectady will  not  care  to  hear  anything  about  it. 

A  little  before  lo  o'clock  we  arrived  in  Al- 
bany. Put  up  at  Duns*  "  original  stage  office  " 
in  No.  7  Green  street.  Enquired  for  Judge 
Ostrom,  who  had  the  politeness  to  invite  me 
into  the  room  occupied  by  the  members  from 
Oneida  and  Jefferson  counties,  and  introduced 
me  to  those  with  whom  I  was  not  acquainted. 
Ten  members  of  the  legislature,  in  all,  board  at 
this  house. 

March  i  8th.  This  is  the  Lord's  Day,  yet  how 
far  from  keeping  it  holy,  how  far  from  serving 
God  with  all  my  soul  and  all  my  might!  True^ 
1  have  attended  upon  the  service  of  his  Courts, 
but  my  heart  has  been  far  from  Him.  Being 
in  a  strange  place  is  not  a  sufficient  excuse  for 
allowing  the  thoughts  to  wander  from  the  ser- 
vice of  my  God. 

The  members  of  the  legislature  mostly  at- 
tend meetings  at  the  New  Dutch  Church,  that 
is,  of  those  who  attend  meeting  at  all.  The 
corporation  of  Albany  have  two  large  pews  in 
this  house  which  the  members  of  the  legislature 
occupy;  on  account  of  being  furnished  with  a 
seat  I  went  to  meeting  at  this  church  with  the 
176 


APPENDIX 

members  of  the  legislature.  The  Reverend  Brad- 
ford preached  in  this  house.  He  appears  to 
be  a  man  of  talents  and  piety.  At  6  o'clock  in 
the  evening  the  Rev.  Mr.  Niell  preached  a 
charity  sermon,  and  a  collection  of  $113  was 
made  notwithstanding  four  sermons  of  that  kind 
had  been  delivered  this  last  winter  and  collec- 
tions made. 

As  I  had  calculated  to  go  on  to  Hudson  in 
the  morning,  I  attempted  doing  what  business 
I  have  the  charge  of  in  this  city ;  but  the  peo- 
ple refused  to  open  their  shops.  I  was  pleased 
with  this. 

March  19th.  The  weather  is  very  mild  this 
morn.  Have  been  to  the  Capitol,  or  State 
House.  I  am  not  a  little  surprised  that  this 
building  was  erected  where  it  is.  A  few  rods 
back  of  where  it  stands  the  ground  is  much 
higher  and  site  more  pleasant;  it  now  looks  too 
much  squatted.  The  ground  continuing  to 
rise  beyond  the  edifice  has  an  unfavorable  ef- 
fect when  you  view  it  from  down  State  street.  It 
made  me  feel  quite  unpleasant  when  I  fancied 
how  different  the  effect  would  have  been  if  the 
public  had  stuck  it  100  yards  further  up  the 
hill. 

Croswell  was  in  my  opinion  correct  when  he 
compared  Justice,  as  seen  from  the  lower  end 
177 


APPENDIX 

of  State  street,  to  a  butcher  weighing  meat.  A 
near  view  is  much  the  more  favorable,  although 
the  joints  in  the  marble  columns  appear. 

It  would  be  difficult  for  me  to  describe  the 
richness  and  magnificence  of  this  pile. 

"  Whatever  adorns  the  princely  dome,  the 
columns,  and  the  arch,"  belongs  to  this  noble 
edifice.  The  floor  is  of  marble,  white  and 
clouded,  cut  and  laid  in  a  favorable  taste. 

After  going  over  different  parts  of  the  build- 
ing, I  attended  prayers  in  the  House  of  Assem- 
bly. The  formalities  of  opening  business  hav- 
ing been  passed  through,  the  subject  of  the 
"  School  Funds  "  was  agitated ;  but  no  inter- 
esting debate  taking  place  I  withdrew. 

Having  letters  for  General  Piatt  I  went  into 
the  Senate  to  deliver  them.  There  was  no  de- 
bating in  the  Senate. 

This  day  a  Mr.  Backus,  of  New  York,  a  re- 
lation of  Joseph  Kirkland,  Esq.,  of  Oneida, 
came  before  the  Council  of  Appointment,  pray- 
ing he  might  be  reinstated  auctioneer  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  from  which  office  he  had  lately 
been  removed.  The  old  gentleman  excited  pity 
in  most  every  breast,  but  whether  the  council 
will  see  fit  to  reinstate  him  is  a  matter  of  mere 
conjecture.  He  represented  his  situation  as 
distressing,  "  he  was  old;  had  an  expensive 
178 


APPENDIX 

family  that  looked  up  to  him  for  their  daily 
bread;  that  he  had  not  the  ability  of  entering 
into  any  business  which  would  support  him  ; 
that  he  had  long  been  auctioneer,  and  that  he 
hoped  the  council  would  see  fit  to  reinstate  him." 

Ah  !  where  has  this  man's  republican  spirit 
fled  ?  Before  I  could  prostrate  myself  at  the 
feet  of  the  Council  of  Appointment  I  should  see 
what  virtue  there  was  in  dying.  This  man  is  now 
under  the  necessity  of  denying  his  Democratic 
friends,  and,  what  is  worse,  begs  assistance  from 
his  political  enemies  ;  for  the  sincerity  of  these 
political  conversions  is  doubted  by  me. 

Spent  an  hour  or  two  this  day  in  examining 
the  city.  There  are  more  good  buildings  in 
Albany  than  I  was  aware  of  Next  to  the 
Capitol, in  point  ofelegance,  is  the  Albany  Bank. 
The  stone  work  of  this  building  is  grand,  and 
reflects  great  credit  upon  Hooker's  taste. 

The  New-Dutch,  St.  Peters,  and  the  unfin- 
ished Stone  Dutch  Church,  the  Presbyterian 
meeting  house,  although  large  and  built  of 
brick,  do  not  discover  much  beauty.  Some  of 
the  dwelling  houses  are  very  handsome  and 
spacious.  The  old  Dutch  houses  are  shameful. 
The  streets  generally  are  crooked  and  narrow. 
In  the  principal  streets  the  sidewalks  are  good, 
being  made  of  flat  stones,  and  kept  pretty  clean. 
179 


APPENDIX 

The  police  regulations  of  this  city  are  not  very 
good,  so  far  as  I  know  anything  about  them. 

The  inhabitants  of  Albany  have  been  repre- 
sented to  me  as  inhospitable  and  impolite.  I 
have  had  the  good  fortune  to  fall  among  a  peo- 
ple of  quite  a  different  character.  True,  I  did 
not  put  up  among  the  Albanians,  although  I 
took  lodging  in  Albany.  Dunn  boards  about 
1 6  members,  who  are  a  family  separate  from  the 
travelling  customers.  When  I  determined 
staying  in  Albany  until  Wednesday,  Mr.  Bron- 
son,  Mr.  Stors,  and  Judge  Ostrom,  invited  me 
into  the  legislative  family,  where  I  have  been 
very  politely  treated,  indeed.  And  the  citizens 
of  Albany,  so  far  as  I  had  anything  to  do  with 
them,  have  used  me  with  kindness  and  atten- 
tion. Mr.  Backus,  and  Mr.  Hosford  in  parti- 
cular, have  treated  me  with  every  civility  I 
could  expect  from  gentlemen.  I  have  spent 
some  time  very  agreeably  in  the  families  of 
Mr.  Eights  and  Mr.  Whipple,  also  a  few  mo- 
ments at  Mr.  Bleeker's.  It  is  very  possible, 
however,  that  if  I  had  had  the  misfortune  to 
have  become  acquainted  with  some  unpleasant 
characters,  for  no  place  is  destitute,  I  should 
have  left  Albany  as  much  displeased  as  others 
have.  And  I  think  this  a  fair  way  to  account 
for  the  different  opinions  of  different  persons 
1 80 


APPENDIX 

respecting  the  same  places.  The  same  may  be 
said  with  propriety  respecting  individual  char- 
acters ;  for  we  seldom  find  a  person  who  is  al- 
ways pleasant  and  agreeable,  and  if  we  chance 
to  become  acquainted  with  him  when  in  a  sour 
mood,  he  will  not  treat  us  with  that  kindness 
which  is  natural  to  his  character;  but  it  will  be 
from  this  incorrect  source  that  we  collect  our 
opinion. 

March  20th.  Went  again  to  the  Capitol  this 
morning.  A  memorial  was  received  by  the 
House  of  Assembly  from  the  citizens  of  Balti- 
more, praying  for  permission  to  sell  tickets  in 
this  State  of  a  lottery,  granted  by  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Maryland,  to  raise  money  to  erect  a 
monument  in  memory  of  Washington.  There 
were  some  spirited  remarks  offered  in  favor  of 
granting  the  request,  but  was  lost  by  a  large 
majority. 

Walked  up  to  what  is  called  the  Colonee,but 
saw  nothing  worth  noticing. 

Nothing  is  so  pleasing  as  the  society  of  the 
good  and  virtuous ;  their  conversation  is  calcu- 
lated to  instruct  as  well  as  to  amuse. 

If  accident  should  ever  again  detain  me  in 

Albany  I  should  not  complain.      But  I  leave 

the  city  with  the    greatest    pleasure,  and    that 

too  on  account  of  being  so  well  satisfied  with 

181 


APPENDIX 

my  stay  here.     This  is  a  good  and  sufficient 
reason. 

March  2ist.  At  2  o'clock  this  morning  the 
stage  driver  cried,  "  away  !  away  !  "  As  soon  as 
we  had  left  Albany  behind  us,  I  observed  to  my 
friend  and  companion  in  misfortune,  Mr.  Aus- 
tin, that  it  was  probable  we  should  have  a  dis- 
agreeable time  of  it.  But  I  little  thought  of  be- 
ing doomed  to  such  a  severe  trial  of  my  patience. 
Our  horses  had  been  driven  62  miles  the  day 
before ;  this  was  as  foolish  as  it  was  inhuman 
for  it  almost  killed  the  poor  beasts.  Our  driver 
had  not  been  to  bed ;  the  stage  was  almost 
filled  by  a  large  bag  of  wool,  etc.,  etc.  We  had 
not  proceeded  two  miles  before  the  driver  was 
fast  asleep  upon  his  seat;  and  from  this  time 
until  we  arrived  in  Athens,  30  miles  from  Al- 
bany, we  were  obliged  to  kick,  push,  and  halloo 
to  him  every  few  minutes  in  order  to  kept  him 
awake;  and  even  with  all  our  attention  he,  a 
number  of  times,  fell  into  the  carriage ;  for  we, 
from  motives  of  safety,  had  requested  him  to  sit 
within  the  stage.  His  horses  were  as  sleepy  as 
himself.  It  was  almost  impossible  to  make 
them  go  out  of  a  slow  walk.  As  soon  as  it  was 
light  Mr.  Austin  and  myself  left  the  stage  and 
walked  sometime  ;  but  finding  the  driver  would 
get  to  sleep,  and  the  horses,  thinking  them- 

182 


APPENDIX 

selves  entitled  to  the  same  privileges  (and  cer- 
tainly we  did  not  find  a  disposition  in  our  hearts 
to  dispute  their  claims)  would  stop,  and  in  one 
instance  an  old  blind  horse  laid  down  in  the 
mud,  and  we  returned  to  the  stage.  This  af- 
fair afforded  us  much  sport ;  we  concluded  the 
old  blind  horse  did  this  to  let  us  know  he  was 
enjoying  the  same  refreshments  the  rest  of  the 
team  was.  Indeed,  he  had  no  other  method 
whereby  he  could  manifest  it,  for  his  eyes  were 
forever  closed. 

About  3  o'clock  P.  M.  a  most  splendid  pros- 
pect presented  itself.  We  had  ascended  a  hill 
of  considerable  height  from  which  we  had  a 
most  beautiful  view  of  the  Katskill  mountains ; 
the  weather,  where  we  were,  was  pleasant,  the  sun 
shining  bright;  on  the  side  of  the  mountains  we 
could  see  a  snow  storm  ;  the  sun  reflecting  upon 
the  clouds  had  a  grand  effect.  This  compen- 
sated us  for  all  our  toils  and  troubles. 

It  was  about  5  o'clock  when  we  arrived  in 
Athens_,  a  small  town  on  the  North  river,  op- 
posite Hudson.  Soon  after  we  had  put  up,  as 
we  supposed  for  the  night,  a  Mr.  Boyd,  of  Al- 
bany, invited  us  down  to  the  dock  to  see  a  new 
sloop  he  had  been  building,  and  which  was  in 
complete  readiness  for  sailing;  the  steamboat 
appearing  in  sight  the  captain  of  the  sloop  said 

183 


APPENDIX 

if  we  were  disposed  to  take  a  sail  down  to 
Katskill,  6  miles,  he  would  clear  ship  and  give 
the  steamboat  a  chase.  We  assented,  and  by 
the  time  the  boat  was  opposite  us  in  the  chan- 
nel we  hoisted  sail.  This  was  all  novelty  to  me, 
but  as  it  happened  the  sailors  did  not  discover 
it.  In  24  minutes  from  the  hoisting  of  the  sails 
we  were  at  the  dock  at  Katskill,  the  steamboat 
being  3  minutes  behind.  Nothing  could  have 
pleased  the  captain  more,  and  he  was  by  no 
means  bashful  in  informing  the  boat  on  this 
subject  when  she  came  up.  The  distance  from 
the  dock  to  the  village  of  Katskill  is  more  than 
half  a  mile.  This  place  is  situated  like  many 
other  places  very  unfavorably.  It  is  in  a  cramp- 
ed valley  out  of  sight.  You  cannot  see  it,  either 
from  the  river  or  country  round  about.  But  it 
is  the  inhabitants  that  make  any  place  pleasant, 
particularly  Katskill.  Mr.  Donnelly's  family, 
where  we  put  up  for  the  night,  are  Connecticut 
folks ;  and  that  appears  to  express  their  hospi- 
tality and  goodness. 

From  the  moment  I  set  my  foot  inside  of  Mr. 
Donnelly's  door  I  was  as  happy  as  a  prince. 
An  old  gentleman,  father  of  Mrs.  D.,  and  a 
Christian,  I  believe,  if  Christianity  consists  in 
love  towards  a  crucified  Savior  and  benevolence 
towards  mankind.  We  spent  most  of  the  even- 
184 


APPENDIX 

ing  in  conversation  about  Christ's  kingdom. 
How  uncommon  is  this  conversation  in  the  gen- 
erality of  taverns. 

Here  also  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a 
young  gentleman  whom  I  saw  about  3  years  ago 
in  Utica.  He  is  in  the  profession  of  the  law  at 
this  village.  Not  having  heard  from  the  coun- 
try lately  he  was  gratified  in  finding  me  able  to 
answer  many  questions  he  asked  respecting  his 
acquaintance  in  Utica  and  Whitestown.  To 
say  I  happened  here  by  chance  would  be  to 
say  an  event  could  take  place  without  the  direc- 
tion of  heaven.  Notwithstanding,  there  appears 
to  be  something  we  cannot  account  for  attend- 
ing these  occurrences.  The  evening  has  been 
completely  the  reverse  of  the  morning.  Seldom 
have  I,  if  ever,  experienced  so  great  a  diversity 
of  feeling  in  one  day.  We  relish  our  food  the 
best  when  our  appetites  are  the  sharpest.  So 
it  is  with  our  other  enjoyments,  we  must  have 
appetites  to  make  them  relish  well. 

March  22nd.  The  old  gentleman,  Mrs.  D.'s 
father,  told  me  this  morning  that  he  thought 
much  upon  our  last  evening's  conversation,  af- 
ter he  went  to  bed.  He  and  the  rest  of  the 
family  urged  me  hard  to  call  upon  them  if  ever 
I  came  that  way  and  could  possibly  make  it 
convenient.  To  which  I  agreed,  and  took 
185 


APPENDIX 

leave.  Came  into  the  city  of  Hudson  about  2 
o'clock  P.  M.,  put  up  at  Norton's  Inn.  Hud- 
son is  pleasantly  situated  on  ground  that  rises 
gradually  from  the  river.  The  buildings  are 
mostly  of  wood.  This  is  one  of  the  most  flour- 
ishing towns  on  the  North  river;  it  has  had  a 
very  rapid  growth. 

March  23rd.  At  8  o'clock  A.  M.  the  stage 
left  Hudson  for  Hartford.  Nine  passengers 
crowded  into  a  small  carriage  with  only  two 
seats. 

March  24th.  Arrived  in  the  City  of  Hartford 
at  7  o'clock  P.  M.  in  good  spirits,  having  had 
a  pleasant  day  and  good  travelling,  for  the  sea- 
son. Until  we  came  within  about  six  miles  of 
Hartford  the  country  was  extremely  stony  and 
mountainous.  I  cannot  conceive  how  the 
farmer  can  raise  a  crop  of  grain  where  he  has 
nothing  but  rocks  to  sow  his  seed  upon.  The 
last  six  miles  of  our  day's  ride  we  came  through 
the  most  delightful  country  I  ever  saw,  the  soil 
appeared  to  be  extremely  fertile  and  well  culti- 
vated. I  observed  in  a  number  of  the  fields, 
where  there  was  corn  planted  last  year,  that  the 
hills  were  almost  as  near  again  to  each  other  as 
what  is  common  among  our  New  York  farmers. 

March  25th.  Went  this  morning  to  hear  Dr. 
Strong   preach ;    but    was   disappointed.     The 

186 


APPENDIX 

Rev.  Mr.  Chester  preached  in  his  pulpit.  This 
gentleman  gave  an  excellent  sermon.  I  was  not 
a  little  surprised  at  not  seeing  more  people  at 
meeting;  for  really  I  had  fancied  seeing  the 
Connecticut  meeting  houses  crowded. 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  hear  the  Episco- 
pal minister,  with  whose  preaching  I  was  well 
pleased.  At  this  church  they  have  an  organ, 
which,  when  performed  on  without  being  ac- 
companied with  the  voice,  sounds  well ;  but  the 
voice  did  not  appear  to  harmonize  with  the  in- 
strument. 

Had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Miss  S.  W.  this 
evening.  She  is  the  only  person  I  have  seen  in 
Hartford  that  I  was  acquainted  with  before  my 
arrival  here  ;  yet  I  felt  myself  as  much  at  home 
as  if  I  had  been  an  old  resident  in  this  city. 

March  26th.  This  morning  I  awoke  very 
early,  and  I  make  it  a  practice  to  get  up  as  soon 
as  I  awake  if  it  is  daylight.  On  opening  my 
window  shutters  I  was  astonished  to  see  the 
ground  covered  with  snow.  The  storm  ap- 
peared to  be  from  the  N.  E. 

At  9  o'clock  A.  M.  the  freemen  of  this  city 
assembled  to  choose  their  city  officers.  I  was 
pleased  to  see  the  order  and  regularity  of  this 
election.  The  New  State  House  is  the  place 
where  all  business  of  this  kind  is  transacted. 

187 


APPENDIX 

This  building  is  by  no  means  elegant.  The 
first  story  is  of  free-stone ;  the  other  two  of 
brick.    It  is  spacious  and  appears  to  be  well  built. 

The  new  brick  meeting  house  is  the  hand- 
somest building  I  have  seen  in  Hartford. 

The  bridge  across  the  Connecticut  river  is  a 
grand  one,  made  of  wood,  excepting  the  abut- 
ments, etc.  The  buildings  in  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford are  mostly  built  of  wood;  in  good  repair, 
although  some  of  them  are  very  old.  The 
streets  are  wide  and  generally  straight.  Side- 
walks made  with  boards,  and  raised  about  4 
inches  from  the  ground.  The  house  lots  are 
so  deep  that  almost  every  inhabitant  has  a  gar- 
den, etc. 

March  27th.  It  was  near  10  o'clock  this 
morning  before  the  stage  left  Hartford  for  N. 
Haven.  Eight  passengers  beside  myself  Oh  ! 
I  do  hate  to  be  crowded.  What  the  Yankees 
will  think  of  me  I  cannot  tell.  I  have  been  as 
speechless  this  day  as  those  philosophers  who 
think  it  folly  for  a  man  to  spend  his  time  in 
talking.  The  fact  was,  the  stage  was  so  over- 
loaded with  knowledge  that  it  would  have  been 
dangerous  for  me  to  have  added  any  to  the 
burthen  for  fear  the  carriage  would  break  down. 
In  Connecticut  the  wheels  of  a  carriage  are  set 
at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  box  or  body 


APPENDIX 

that  it  is  inconsistent  to  suppose  one  of  their 
stages  will  support  so  heavy  a  load  as  a  New 
York  stage,  with  the  wheels  near  home.  There 
was  at  least  four  college-learnt  men  in  this  said 
Connecticut  stage,  which  travels  from  the  City 
of  Hartford  to  the  City  of  N.  Haven  ;  that  is, 
if  all  I  have  heard  pass  between  them  to-day 
be  no  exaggeration  of  facts.  And  wise  men  they 
must  be,  for  they  were  able  to  pull  John  Mason, 
D.D.,  and  other  little  folks  all  to  pieces.  But, 
if  they  have  formed  no  worse  opinion  of  me 
than  I  of  them,  I  may  think  myself  well  off.  It 
is  astonishing  what  a  difference  there  actually  is 
in  the  manners  and  customs  of  these  good  peo- 
ple of  Connecticut  and  those  of  New  York. 
Many  of  those  differences  are  much  in  the  praise 
of  the  Connecticut  folks.  People  here  mind 
their  own  business,  and  wish  (I  doubt  not)  to 
have  others  mind  theirs.  We  travelled  from 
Hartford  to  N.  Haven  (40  miles)  without  meet- 
ing but  one  wagon,  and  not  more  than  two 
or  three  persons  on  horseback.  We  could 
see  many  of  the  farmers  engaged  in  sledding 
wood  to  their  own  houses ;  there  being  snow 
enough  in  the  fields  to  make  a  sled  run  toler- 
ably well.  Whenever  we  stopped  at  a  pub- 
lic house  it  was  altogether  probable  we  should 
find  the  good  old  landlady  in  the  kitchen  spin- 
189 


APPENDIX 

ning  or  doing  housework  ;  the  house,  as  still  as 
their  meeting  houses  are  on  a  week  day,  not 
filled  as  the  inns  too  frequently  are  in  York 
State,  with  drunken  politicians  and  the  rabble. 
I  like  these  steady  habits. 

About  lo  o'clock  we  arrived  in  the  city  of 
New  Haven.  Mr.  Butler,  the  gentleman  with 
whom  I  have  taken  lodgings,  appears  to  be  a 
true  Yankee ;  which  is  to  say,  in  other  words, 
he  is  a  hospitable  landlord. 

March  28th.  Spent  the  most  of  this  day  in 
company  with  my  friends,  Othniel  Williams  and 
E,  Burchard,  at  their  room  in  the  college.  In 
the  afternoon  they  went  with  me  to  various  parts 
of  the  city  ;  to  the  new  burying  ground,  court  or 
State  house,  etc.,  etc. 

On  the  whole,  we  concluded  that  New  Haven 
city  is  the  handsomest  place  in  Connecticut 
in  the  pleasant  seasons  of  the  year. 

APPENDIX   VI 

UTICA  Patriot  and  Patrol,  May  16, 
1820,  says:  "  Mr.  Williams,  one  of 
the  proprietors  of  this  paper,  accom- 
panied Dr.  A.G.  Hull  to  Baltimore  for  the  pur- 
pose of  inducing  the  citizens  of  Baltimore  to 
unite  in  a  petition  to  the  Executive  of  Mary- 

190 


APPENDIX 

land.  Mr.  Williams  made  an  appeal  to  them." 
From  the  Baltimore  Morning  Chronicle; 
"  Laws  are  not  only  necessary  to  restrain  and 
punish  the  violence  of  evil  men ;  but  their 
operation  is  also  salutary  in  giving  a  just  direc- 
tion and  control  to  the  virtuous  propensities  of 
the  good.  Without  such  restraint  the  amiable 
and  benevolent  sympathies  of  the  heart  would 
sometimes  mislead  and  betray  us  ;  and  under  the 
power  of  an  impulse,  in  itself  praiseworthy,  we 
might  be  guilty  of  violation  of  justice  and  mercy. 
The  truth  of  such  a  sentiment  is  evinced  by  the 
excitement  which  a  criminal  transaction  at  first 
always  produces  in  a  community  ;  and  in  the 
sympathy  which  we  delight  to  indulge  for  the 
suffering  object  of  the  crimes  of  a  malefactor, 
we  forget  that  that  very  malefactor  may  him- 
self possess  a  tenfold  claim  to  our  sorrowing 
commiseration.  Were  the  execution  of  justice 
in  the  hands  of  a  populace,  composed  (if  such  a 
case  could  occur)  of  none  but  the  just  and  bene- 
volent ;  and  did  not  the  laws  of  the  land  secure 
to  the  most  guilty  a  patient  investigation  of 
their  case,  even  the  innocent  would  always  be 
liable  to  perish  in  the  ferment  of  a  harsh  and  un- 
discerning  popular  indignation ;  and  the  most 
sanguinary  retribution  would  attend  the  mere 
suspicion  of  any  degree  of  crime. 

191 


APPENDIX 

"We  are  led  to  these  remarks  by  reflecting 
upon  the  feeling  which  everywhere  prevailed 
upon  the  first  discovery  of  the  recent  robbery  of 
the  mail  and  murder  of  the  driver.  The  case 
was  a  dreadful  one ;  deplorable,  atrocious,  ag- 
gravated. Few,  during  the  first  hours  of  the 
discovery,  would  have  lamented  to  hear  that  the 
perpetrators  had  been  made  the  subject  of  an 
awful  and  immediate  death.  But  let  any  indi- 
vidual, who  may  have  been  thus  moved,  look 
through  the  grating  of  one  of  the  cells  of  our 
jail  and  behold  one  of  these  criminals  in  the  per- 
son of  a  youth,  intelligent,  ardent,  and  not  void 
of  kindly  affections,  though  shockingly  mis- 
guided and  guilty  ;  let  them  reflect  upon  him  as 
a  victim  of  a  melancholy  and  gradual  seduc- 
tion, passing  by  connected  and  almost  insepar- 
able measures  to  the  abyss  of  a  crime  ;  let  them 
see  him  not  more  loaded  with  irons  than  bur- 
dened with  an  agonizing  consciousness  of  his 
guilt,  and  prostrated  at  the  feet  of  a  pious,  af- 
fectionate and  almost  distracted  father;  let  them 
hear  his  own  words  :  *  Father,  guilty  as  I  was 
I  was  not  quite  abandoned  ;'  let  any  one  who 
may  have  yielded  to  a  hasty  indignation  con- 
template this  not  an  imaginary  scene,  and  he 
will  thank  God  that  he  is  protected  by  the 
laws,  not  only  from  the  violence  of  the  wicked 
192 


APPENDIX 

but  from  the  dangerous  impulses  even  of  his  own 
naturally  good  feeling. 

"The  writer  of  these  remarks  pretends  not  to 
deny  a  deep  and  dreadful  participation  on  the 
part  of  Morris  Hull  in  the  late  crime.  The 
young  man  denied  it  not  himself;  and  at  the 
awful  moment  when  his  earthly  destiny  was 
about  to  be  decided,  and  the  aid  of  eloquent  and 
powerful  council  was  offered  and  urged  at  his 
father's  request,  he  refused  the  plea  of  not  guilty, 
stating  that  it  was  inconsistent  with  that  honest 
and  candid  course  of  conduct  which  belonged 
to  one  conscious  of  sin.  He  is  guilty  and  justly 
exposed  to  punishment.  The  questions  now 
in  discussion,  and  which  seem  to  have  attained 
a  favorable  issue  in  the  minds  of  many,  most 
judicious  and  reflecting,  are  first  whether  there 
be  not  a  wide  and  important  difference  in  the  de- 
gree of  guilt  of  the  two  persons  concerned  ;  and, 
secondly,  if  such  a  difference  exist,  whether  a 
corresponding  difference  should  not  be  made  in 
the  nature  of  the  punishment.  We  say  in  the 
nature  of  the  punishment,  because,  with  regard 
to  the  degree  of  it,  multitudes  would  imagine 
that  the  commutation  of  death,  which  this  most 
unhappy  lad,  no  less  than  his  father,  prays  and 
entreats  (which  is  consignment  to  all  the  gloom 
and  horror  of  perpetual  and  solitary  imprison- 

193 


APPENDIX 

ment),  would,  in  a  degree,  infinitely  exceed  the 
severity  of  instant  death.  We  cannot  presume 
to  decide  what  would  be  our  own  feelings  under 
similar  circumstances ;  and,  therefore,  surprise 
at  the  terror  with  which  he  regards  a  violent  and 
ignominious  death,  should  be  suspended  by 
commiseration  for  the  lamentable  alternative 
to  which  it  would  reconcile  him. 

"  The  facts  which  mark  the  difference  in  the 
degree  of  his  guilt  are  briefly  these :  Having 
become  acquainted  at  a  boarding  house  in  New 
York  with  Hutton,  a  man  thoroughly  experi- 
enced in  the  ways  of  the  world  (we  say  no  more 
of  this  unhappy  man  than  is  already  before  the 
public,  or  is  essential  to  a  fair  and  just  under- 
standing of  the  case,  because  there  is  no  disposi- 
tion to  aggravate  his  guilt  in  the  public  estima- 
tion), the  youth,  already  wild,  impetuous,  and 
from  under  the  guardianship  of  parental  care, 
was  induced  to  consent  to  a  journey  to  Balti- 
more, upon  some  scheme  of  acquiring  money  of 
which  he  knew  nothing,  but  that  it  could  be 
procured  with  certainty  and  ease.  This  was 
the  great  radical,  and  perhaps,  we  think,  all 
things  considered,  the  most  surprising  part  of 
his  crime.  That  step  taken,  the  other  meas- 
ures followed  connectedly  and  naturally.  What 
parent  does  not  exclaim,  God  preserve  my  chil- 

194 


APPENDIX 

dren  from  bad  company  !  But  to  proceed. 
Undergoing,  as  he  was,  an  inevitable  vitiation 
of  character  by  the  conversation  of  a  man  capa- 
ble of  planning  such  a  crime;  of  involving  in  it 
a  lad  whose  prospects  were  yet  good  in  the 
world,  it  was  not  until  they  arrived  at  Wil- 
mington that  young  Hull  was  made  acquainted 
with  the  manner  in  which  the  expected  money 
was  to  be  obtained;  but  even  here  no  allusion 
was  made  to  the  murder.  Robbery  of  the  un- 
protected mail  was  alone  mentioned.  On  the 
first  night  in  which  the  robbery  was  attempted 
it  was  prevented  and  abandoned  wholly  through 
the  revolting  of  the  youth's  mind.  He  could 
not  and  would  not  co-operate,  and  they  re- 
turned to  town.  On  the  way,  Hutton  inti- 
mated, that,  although  he  had  not  mentioned  it, 
it  was  his  intention  to  have  put  an  end  to  the  life 
of  the  driver.  This,  it  may  justly  be  remarked, 
was  the  moment  for  the  poor  fellow's  better  prin- 
ciples to  haveexerted  and  manifested  themselves  ; 
and  we  must  silently  acknowledge  the  extent  of 
his  guilt,  in  this  respect,  ilnlesstit  be  considered 
an  extenuation  of  it,  that  he  was  then  five  hundred 
miles  distant  from  his  father's  home  and  advice  ; 
penniless,  a  stranger,  with  no  human  friend  or 
adviser,  but  a  man  since  proved  capable  of  de- 
liberate falsehood  under  all  the  solemnities  of 

195 


APPENDIX 

religion ;  capable  of  plunder  and  assassination. 
On  the  second  attempt,  which  was  defeated  by 
the  presence  of  a  traveller  with  the  driver,  Hut- 
ton  pointedly  said  to  Hull,  'I  know  a  man 
who,  if  his  companion  in  such  a  business  were 
to  flinch  or  throw  any  obstacle  in  his  way,  would 
as  leave  shoot  him  as  not.'  This  sank  into  the 
lad's  mind.  On  the  third  attempt  Morris  Hull 
immediately  yielded  to  the  petition  of  the  driver 
to  be  spared,  and  employed  determined  solicit- 
ation and  opposition  to  move  the  heart  of 
Hutton.  He,  himself,  being  a  stranger  could 
not  be  recognized,  disguised  as  he  was.  He 
showed  Hutton  that  the  murder  was  not  neces- 
sary, and  acknowledged  that  he  could  not  per- 
petrate it.  Hutton  resolutely  persisted,  and  at 
last  added  the  fatal  declaration, '  You  shall  either 
shoot  him  or  me.'  Hutton  is  tall,  athletic, 
powerful,  and  thirty  years  of  age.  Morris  Hull 
is  under  size,  and  a  youth  of  twenty  years. 
This  threat,  suddenly  combined  in  his  mind 
with  what  had  been  hinted  by  Hutton  the  night 
before  overpowered  his  resolution,  and  under 
the  strong  impression  that  his  own  life  or  that 
of  the  driver  must  be  sacrificed,  he  yielded  to  the 
command.  Filled  with  horror,  however,  he  re- 
fused to  repeat  the  blow;  and  Hutton,  twice 
stabbing    the    driver,    thus    accomplished    his 

196 


APPENDIX 

atrocious  purpose.  These  then  are,  In  a  word, 
the  circumstances  extenuating  the  lad's  guilt. 
He  came  on  from  New  York  without  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  intended  robbery,  and  went  to  the 
ground  without  suspecting  the  murder;  his  re- 
volting prevented  the  accomplishment  of  either 
on  the  first  night ;  it  was  then  onlv  he  suspected 
murder  was  intended.  He  was  inspired  with 
a  fear  for  his  own  life,  and  at  last  had  the  alterna- 
tive presented  to  him  of  shooting  his  associate 
or  the  driver;  the  pistol  was  uniformly  carried 
by  Hutton,  and  was  only  put  into  the  youth's 
hand  at  the  moment  in  which  he  was  ordered 
to  use  it ;  he  earnestly  protested  against  the  mur- 
der, and  declared  he  could  not  perpetrate  it. 
(The  fact  was  proved  by  the  certificate  of  the 
physicians  that  the  pistol  wound  was  not  neces- 
sarily fatal,  but  that  each  of  the  stabs  was  a  death 
wound.)  Add  to  these  circumstances  his  youth  ; 
his  early  and  consistent  confession  of  guilt;  his 
care  to  avoid  prevarication  ;  his  apparent  bitter, 
ingenious  and  deep  repentance;  his  intercession 
with  his  father  to  provide  for  the  widow  and  or- 
phans of  the  deceased;  his  father's  immediate 
compliance  with  the  request  and  provision  for 
the  woman  ;  the  eminent  piety  and  respectabil- 
ity of  his  father's  character ;  and  lastly,  that  it 
is   not  (in  the  estimation  of  multitudes)  even 

197 


APPENDIX 

mercy  or  mitigation  of  punishment  that  he  pre- 
sumes to  implore.  It  is  a  substitution,  in  the 
place  of  death,  of  a  punishment  in  itself  tenfold 
more  lingering,  terrifying  and  painful  than  any 
species  of  death  ever  inflicted.  It  is  perpetual 
imprisonment  to  a  solitary  and  comfortless  cell. 
Is  it  possible  for  justice  in  her  sternest  decisions 
to  exact  more  ?  Is  it  possible  for  crime,  in  its 
utmost  and  unextenuated  aggravation,  to  de- 
serve more  ?  Neither  is  it  possible,  for  regard 
to  public  morals,  to  exhibit  a  more  salutary  and 
lasting  example  of  the  consequence  of  crime  than 
such  an  imprisonment.  But  two  years  have 
elapsed  since  two  of  our  fellowmen,  Hall  and 
Alexander,  were  hurried  into  the  external  world 
by  a  violent  death  for  a  robbery  of  the  mail,  in 
which  attempt  no  blood  was  shed.  Has  this 
severity  arrested  in  any  degree  the  perpetration 
of  similar  crimes  ?  No  !  they  have  been  fre- 
quent and  daring  in  every  part  of  the  country. 
Do  the  frequent  executions  for  comparatively 
petty  crimes,  which  stain  the  bloody  annals  of 
European  judicature,  produce  a  happier  effect  ? 
On  the  contrary,  has  not  England,  who  has  car- 
ried the  experiment  to  its  utmost  length,  relin- 
quished in  a  great  measure  the  awful  and  un- 
availing principle,and  substituted, in  many  cases, 
imprisonment  on  a  remote  island .''     Will  not 

198 


APPENDIX 

the  demand  of  justice  be  sufficiently  complied 
with  wHen  the  principal  in  the  crime  has  ex- 
piated it  with  his  life  ;  and  when  his  unhappy 
associate  is  consigned  to  a  vaulted  dungeon 
from  which  death  only  is  to  liberate  him  ? 
Look  within  those  walls  and  answer  the  ques- 
tion. One  small  and  grated  window  admits  im- 
perfectly the  light  of  day.  No  sun  can  there 
be  discerned ;  no  human  face  of  sympathy  and 
friendship  meet  the  eye,  for  a  broad  and  deep 
Venetian  shade  excludes  every  external  pros- 
pect. A  double  door  of  massive  iron  and  plank 
forbids  the  communication  with  the  other 
vaults ;  and  were  this  thrown  open,  heavy  fet- 
ters, attached  to  both  feet,  prevent  the  escape  of 
the  melancholy  inhabitant;  and  through  the 
dreary  and  monotonous  lapse  of  years  he  may 
become  accustomed  to  hear  no  voice  but  that  of 
the  jailor ;  no  other  sounds  than  the  distant  riot 
of  comparatively  happy  prisoners  in  the  apart- 
ments above,  or  the  clanking  of  his  own  chains. 
And  is  not  this  enough  for  the  lad  ?  Is  not  this 
enough  for  example  ?  Is  not  this  enough  for 
justice  ?  Cannot  mercy  and  clemency  be  stretch- 
ed so  far  as  to  grant  this  prayer,  in  considera- 
tion of  his  smaller  degree  of  guilt,  of  his  mis- 
guided and  deluded  youth,  and  of  his  bitter 
penitence  ?  Can  any  one  wish  to  deny  him 
199 


APPENDIX 

such  a  boon,  and  still  thirst  for  his  blood? 
Can  any  parent  be  assured  that  similar  ensnare- 
ments,  similar  wildness  and  rashness,  may  not 
involve  his  own  child  in  an  equally  horrid 
crime  ?  And  can  any  parent  refuse  to  sanction 
the  petition  of  the  afflicted  father  whose  only 
prayer  is,  "  touch  not  the  life  of  the  lad "  ; 
and  who  deems  no  other  addition  to  his  present 
sorrows  not  wholly  insupportable  ? 

"  Guilty  as  he  is,  Morris  Hull  was  capable  of 
pleading  for  the  life  of  the  poor  driver,  even 
when  his  own  life  was  thereby  perhaps  in  some 
degree  endangered.  Injured  and  afflicted  as  is 
the  poor  widow  of  Heaps  she  acknowledges  the 
wide  difference  between  the  guilt  of  the  two ;  she 
prays  that  the  life  of  the  youth  may  be  spared, 
remarking  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  *  I  know  not 
into  what  temptations  my  own  children  may  fall.' 
And  shall  not  we  in  the  midst  of  our  security, 
and  in  the  fullness  of  our  enjoyment,  enter  one 
word  for  the  intercession  of  his  life,  though  that 
intercession  can  only  consign  him  to  a  living 
tomb?  Yes,  let  such  petition  be  made  ;  let  it  be 
subscribed  by  all  the  feeling  inhabitants  of  Bal- 
timore, who  may  thus  prove  that  in  dispensing 
retribution  to  a  guilty  stranger,  they  know  also 
how  to  unite  the  attributes  of  Justice  and  Mercy. 
"William    Williams." 

200 


APPENDIX   VII 

THE  unprecedented  excitement  of  the 
times  accounts  for  the  five  editions  of 
this  work:  Elder  Bernard's  "  Light 
on  Masonry,"  by  William  Williams'  press,  in 
Utica,  1829. 

William  Morgan  had  been  a  member  of  a 
masonic  lodge  in  LeRoy,  New  York,  in  1825. 
Then  he  disagreed  with  the  other  members,  and 
moved  to  Batavia,  N.  Y.  He  wrote  the  first 
seven  degrees  of  masonry  and  tried  to  have 
them  printed  in  Rochester,  but  failed.  He  then 
took  his  manuscript  to  David  C.  Miller,  the  edi- 
tor and  publisher  of  the  Batavia  Advocate. 
After  numerous  attempts  by  the  masons  to  de- 
stroy the  manuscript  and  printed  sheets,  by  ar- 
resting Mr.  Morgan  on  false  pretences,  and  by 
setting  fire  to  the  printing  office, September  loth, 
a  few  copies  of  the  first  three  degrees  called, 
"  Illustrations  of  Masonry,"'^'  were  published  in 
1826  (Batavia)  N.  Y.     The  manuscript  of  the 

*W.  Preston  had,  in  1804,  published  in  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  the  first  American  Improved  Edition  of  a  book 
entitled:   "Illustrations  of  Masonr)'." 

201 


APPENDIX 

Other  four  degrees  written  by  Morgan  had  been 
stolen  when  he  was  abducted,  but  the  few  printed 
sheets  of  the  first  three  degrees  were  hidden  in 
the  straw  bed,  upon  which  Morgan  himself  was 
sleeping  when  he  was  surprised.  This  first  edi- 
tion is  very  scarce,  and  only  a  few  copies  exist. 
There  is  one  in  a  private  collection  in  Albany, 
N.  Y.  The  copyright  is  dated,  Batavia,  N.  Y., 
August  14,  1826. 

Mr.  Southwark,  in  the  columns  of  the  Al- 
bany National  Observer^  October,  1826,  says  the 
book  was  out  and  largely  read.  Second  edition. 
New  York  (City).  Printed  for  the  author 
1826.  84  pages,  i2mo.  The  introduction 
begins  "In  the  absence,"  etc.,  and  title  page 
reads  "  Second  Edition."  Contains  an  account 
of  the  kidnapping  of  the  author.  Refers  to  the 
meeting,  25  September,  at  the  county  seat  of 
Genesee  County,  and  depositions  taken. 

Third  Edition.  With  appendix;  99  pages. 
For  the  author.  New  York  (City).  1827. 
Title-page  reads  "  Third  Edition." 

Fourth  Edition.  (Batavia,  N.  Y.)  86  pages. 
1827. 

Fifth  Edition.  (Batavia,  N.  Y.)  92  pages. 
1827. 

Sixth  Edition.  (Batavia,  N.  Y.)  96  pages. 
1827. 

202 


APPENDIX 

Printed  for  the  author.  Introduction  begins 
"  In  the  abscence,"  (sic)  etc. 

Seventh  Edition.  Cincinnati,  Matthew  Gar- 
diner (1827).      8vo.  5.  80  pp. 

Eighth  Edition.  Rochester,  N.  Y.  1827. 
Printed  for  the  author,  and  entitled,  "More 
Light  on  Masonry,  or  Morgan  Revived." 
With  an  appendix.  Woodcut  frontispiece ;  96 
pages. 

Seventh  Edition.  Second  issue.  Same  with 
woodcut  vignette  on  title-page,  as  well  as 
frontispiece.  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  1827.  96 
pages.  It  appeared,  i2mo,  Boston,  1829,  pp. 
84,  with  the  engraved  frontispiece.  After  the 
Anti-Masonic  Conventions  at  LeRoy,  July  4  : 
at  Bethany,  July  28 :  at  Utica,  August  4, 
1828:  and  at  Albany,  February  19,  1829, 
had  all  advocated  the  printing  of  Bernard's 
"Light  on  Masonry,"  it  appeared  in  its  first 
edition  at  William  Williams'  press,  Utica,  1829. 
It  then  took  the  place  of  Morgan's  "  Illustra- 
tions of  Masonry,"  as  it  incorporated  that  work 
in  the  first  three  degrees,  adding  the  history  of 
the  movement,  and  the  minutes  of  the  several 
conventions,  by  David  Bernard. 

Proposals  for  its  publication  were  issued  by 
Webster   &  Wood,   71    State    street,  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  in  1828,"  to  be  a  book  of  600  pages  duo- 
203 


APPENDIX 

decimo  ;  printed  with  fair  type,  on  good  paper, 
and  full  bound.  Price  of  subscription  postpaid 
and  received  by  Webster  &  Wood,  at  ^1.50." 

William  Williams  received  the  contracts  for 
printing  it  on  competitive  bids.  The  first  edi- 
tion was  bound  in  full  sheep,  with  name  on  back 
in  gold  letters  ;  the  last  edition  in  boards  and 
cloth,  at  Mr.  Williams'  bindery,  which  was  an 
extensive  part  of  his  business.  Several  of  his 
sons  received  an  education  in  bookbinding,  and 
he  was  proficient  at  the  trade  himself.  All  the 
books  printed  by  him  were  bound  in  his  own 
bindery. 

"  Light  on  Masonry  "  was  reprinted  several 
times,  and  as  late  as  1 868  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  In 
1879,  the  Christian  Association,  of  Oberlin, 
Ohio,  and  a  Chicago  printer  edited  a  new  edi- 
tion. 

The  members  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
were  not  idle  throughout  all  this  period,  when 
it  looked  as  though  the  death  knell  of  the  insti- 
tution had  been  sounded  in  the  United  States. 
They  issued  broadsides  and  petitions  ;  appeal- 
ed to  the  sober  judgments  of  the  citizens  of  the 
State  not  to  condemn  without  deeper  investiga- 
tion into  the  motives  and  ideals  of  the  order. 
Below  is  given  a  copy  of  one  of  these  appeals, 
sent  to  the  several  towns  of  New  York  State, 
204 


APPENDIX 

for  the  signatures  of  such  as  believed  that  the 
spirit  of  masonry  was  not  extinct.  The  fol- 
lowing was  circulated  at  Trenton,  New  York, 
and  bore  the  signatures  of  seventeen  of  its  prom- 
inent citizens. 

AN  APPEAL  TO  THE  PUBLIC. 

We,  the  undersigned,  deem  it  a  duty,  in  justice  to  our- 
selves and  to  our  country,  to  address  the  public  in  relation 
to  the  excitement,  which  under  the  name  of  anti-masonry  is 
spreading  in  the  land.  We  are  aware  that  the  agitators  of 
anti-masonry  and  the  promoters  of  the  unhappy  consequen- 
ces which  flow  from  the  excitement,  are  most  generally  party 
zealots,  who  have  their  own  party  and  personal  objects  in 
view.  To  such  men  we  do  not  address  ourselves:  we  nei- 
ther heed  their  charges  nor  their  efforts.  The  truth  of  the 
former,  whatever  may  be  professed  to  the  contrary,  we  can 
not  in  charity  suppose  that  they  for  one  moment  believe; 
and  as  to  the  latter,  judging  from  past  experience,  there  is 
but  little  prospects  of  such  efforts  being  hereafter  attended 
with  such  success  as  to  excite  any  alarm.  Nor  would  we  ad- 
dress ourselves  to  those  who  are  seeking  to  make  money  out 
of  anti-masonry.  Such  men  are  interested  in  keeping  up 
the  excitement  and  we  should  think  it  a  hopeless  effort  to 
address  as  a  reasonable  man  one  who  would  buy  gold  at 
such  a  price.  We  come  before  the  honest  and  candid  part 
of  our  fellow-citizens  as  members  of  the  Masonic  Institution. 
— We  would  appeal  to  the  tribunal  of  their  understanding 
and  their  hearts,  from  the  obloquy  that  artful,  or  mistaken 
men  have  poured  upon  the  society  and  that  persecution 
which  assails  their  standing  as  citizens,  their  character  as 
men  and  the  peace  of  their  fathers,  brothers  and  sons — and 
fellow  members  in  the  church  and  neighbors;  for  in  all  these 
relations  masons  stand  towards  their  persecutors  and  slan- 
derers— all  the  ties  of  consanguinity,  christian  fellowship  and 

205 


APPENDIX 

social  intercourse — ties  so  endearing  and  which  should  be  so 
ardently  cherished,  by  virtuous  men — the  unrighteous  spirit 
of  anti-masonry  is  engaged  and  persevering  to  burst  asunder. 
Shall  those  efforts  succeed,  fellow-citizens,  in  a  country  of 
gospel  light  and  liberty  like  our  own  f  Shall  the  good  name 
of  any  portion  of  men,  who  can  claim  as  the  award  of  your 
justice,  the  character  of  uprightness,  be  thus  wantonly  as- 
sailed ?  Shall  the  ties  of  social  life,  its  tenderest  charities 
and  urbanity  be  thus  annihilated  ?  It  is  over  this  ground  of 
moral  desolation,  that  uneasy  and  ambitious  politicians, 
whose  polar  star  only  is  office,  shall  be  permitted,  by  the 
countenance  of  an  enlightened  public,  to  drive  their  enter- 
prise to  the  desired  result.  This  frightful  spirit  of  relentless 
persecution  is  entering  the  churches  of  the  Redeemer,  to 
make  divisions  among  the  members  of  his  body,  to  drive 
many  pious  souls  from  the  altar  of  their  God  and  wound  the 
cause  for  which  Christ  died.  We  ask  nothing  of  courtesy, 
but  every  thing  of  your  justice,  fellow-citizens;  but  we  are 
ready  to  concede  and  most  cheerfully  record  our  conviction, 
that  many  gave  their  sympathies  to  anti-masonry  from  moral 
and  noble  feelings,  in  the  first  instance — that  the  outrage, 
which  masons  as  deeply  lament  and  reprehend  as  they, 
which  occasioned  this  excitement,  was  seized  on  by  men  of 
other  feelings  and  other  views  and  promoted  to  the  base  pur- 
pose of  political  ambition  and  the  unrelenting  proscription  of 
those,  whatever  are  their  characters  for  integrity,  fidelity  to 
their  country  and  exertions  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  that 
chanced  to  stand  in  their  way  to  office  and  public  attention. 
— We  solemnly  ask  you,  with  the  conviction  of  men  who  love 
our  country,  who  desire  its  peace  and  prize  its  good  name, 
whether  you  can  longer  accord  your  confidence  to  those  men 
who  have  thus  turned  your  moral  indignation  against  crime, 
into  the  perturbed  channel  of  political  strife — whctheryoucan 
longer  support  the  leaders  of  anti-masonry,  who  have  thus 
abused  your  confidence  and  would  dupe  you  by  their  false- 
hood and  imposing  pretensions,  to  go  with  them  in  this  cru- 
sade against  the  peace  of  society,  the  charity  of  the  Gospel, 
the  good  name  and  fair  character  of  your  neighbors  and  fel- 
low men  ?     Let  the  record  of  past  days  warn  you,  fellow-cit- 

206 


APPENDIX 

izens,  of  the  deplorable  evils  which  this  insane  persecution 
will  inevitably  bring  upon  our  country;  this  whirlwind  of 
anti-masonry  involves  the  innocent  with  the  guilty  and  bears 
along  in  its  desolating  and  blind  fury,  the  best  and  holiest  in- 
terests of  society — its  peace — its  charities  and  its  justice. — 
Christians,  can  you  answer  it  to  your  consciences  ? — you 
must  answer  it  to  your  God! — Look  back  on  those  days  of 
senseless  fury  and  proscription,  when  English  law  and  con- 
stitutional freedom  could  not  stand  before  the  popular  career 
of  a  perjured  wretch,  who  fattened  on  the  noble  blood  of  his 
helpless  victims: — yes,  before  the  magic  influence  of  Titus 
Oates,  the  best  men  in  England  had  no  security  for  property, 
liberty  or  life — and  the  same  spirit,  to  our  disgrace  as  a  free 
and  enlightened  people,  is  abroad  in  our  land,  marking  out 
its  victims  and  proscribing  our  peaceful  and  virtuous  citi- 
zens— tearing  pastors  from  their  flocks,  driving  ministers 
of  the  Gospel  from  the  altar  of  our  common  Lord — rending 
asunder  the  associations  of  piety  and  filling  with  strife  the 
peaceful  fold  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  persecution  of  anti-ma- 
sonry has  few  parallels  in  history.  The  frightful  days  in  the 
reign  of  Charles  2d,  to  which  we  have  just  alluded,  and  in 
the  days  when  Christians  were  a  "little  flock" — as  there  are 
seceding  masons  now,  so  were  there  seceding  Christians  then. 
It  is  the  record  of  ecclesiastical  history,  that  the  moral  trai- 
tors of  those  times,  in  leaving  their  christian  brethren,  did 
denounce  the  institution  of  Christ's  church,  as  a  confedera- 
tion of  atheists  and  libertines — as  an  institution  that  ought 
to  be  suppressed  by  the  magistrates — as  hostile  to  the  safety 
of  the  state  and  destructive  to  the  morals  of  the  community. 
It  is  well  known  to  the  readers  of  church  history,  that  in 
primitive  times,  while  the  preaching  of  the  word  was  public, 
all  but  the  initiated  or  members  of  the  church  were  ex- 
cluded when  the  Lord's  supper  was  administered.  Seced- 
ing Christians  of  that  period  would  go  before  the  magistrate 
and  make  oath  to  the  alleged  licentiousness  and  debauchery 
practised  in  secret  by  the  christian  church — and  that  even 
infanticide  and  cannibalism  were  parts  of  their  most  solemn 
and  secret  rites.  These  seceding  Christians  were  believed  on 
their  oath — the  odium  of  the  christian  name  was  extreme — 

207 


APPENDIX 

every  good  citizen  of  the  Roman  State  was  appealed  to  and 
invoked  to  aid  in  the  destruction  of  an  institution,  such  as 
they  deemed  the  church  of  Christ  to  be,  whose  dark  and  se- 
cret rites  were  thus  awful  before  heaven  and  shocking  to  hu- 
man nature.  Anti-Christianity  was  the  popular  cry  of  that 
day.  Fellow-citizens,  here  is  a  parallel  to  the  atrocious  cal- 
umnies heaped  on  the  masonic  institution  in  this  day — se- 
ceding masons  tell  you  of  obligations  that  are  criminal  and 
usages  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  and  hostile 
to  moral  and  public  duty.  We  advert  to  the  course  of  se- 
ceding masons  with  painful  emotions,  because  it  involves 
the  guilt  of  men,  some  of  whom  have  enjoyed  a  respectable 
standing  in  society,  but  who  hurried  away  perhaps  by  an 
extraordinary  delusion  or  influenced  as  in  many  cases  we 
have  too  much  reason  to  believe  by  ambitious  and  selfish 
motives,  have  first  abandoned  and  then  borne  false  witness 
against  the  institution.  Some  credit  has  been  attached  to 
their  testimony,  but  it  should  be  remembered  that  no  apostate 
ever  spoke  well  of  a  cause  which  he  had  abandoned,  and  it 
is  still  more  important  not  to  forget  that  to  entitle  testimony 
to  implicit  confidence,  it  is  necessary  that  the  witness  should 
be  consistent  in  his  story,  unimpeachable  in  his  character 
and  uninfluenced  by  interest.  Is  it  so  with  the  multitude  of 
seceders  ?  Let  us  see  what  measure  of  faith  we  ought  to 
award  them.  Take  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Joshua  Bradley,  one 
of  the  most  prominent  seceders.  He  denounces  the  institu- 
tion as  vile  in  its  principles,  debasing  in  its  practices,  as  aristo- 
cratical  in  politics,  libertine  in  morals,  as  blasphemous,  un- 
holy and  profane.  This  same  Joshua  Bradley  it  will  be  re- 
membered has  heretofore  published  numerous  essays  and 
addresses  in  favor  of  the  institution.  He  has  affirmed  of 
her  principles  that  ihey  were  holy  and  of  her  practices  that 
they  were  virtuous;  with  the  most  solemn  assertions,  in  the 
character  of  a  Christian  minister,  he  has  assured  us  that  her 
tendencies  were  holy  and  her  objects  beneficent.  In  a  mul- 
titude of  instances,  he  has  called  her  the  "hand  maid  of  re- 
ligion" and  the  "fair  daughter  of  heaven."  What  he  now 
calls  blasphemous  orgies  of  dissipation,  received  his  smiles 
and  encouragement.     Not  a  murmur  of  disapprobation  es- 

208 


APPENDIX 

caped  his  lips,  not  a  single  sign  for  reform  was  breathed  forth 
by  him,  but  on  the  contrary,  he  powerfully  defended  the 
institution  both  in  public  and  private,  preached  masonry  to 
the  world  as  worthy  of  especial  patronage,  and  prayed  de- 
voutly for  the  blessings  of  heaven  to  rest  upon  it.  Now,  fel- 
low-citizens, is  it  possible  for  you  to  reconcile  this  conduct 
with  common  fairness  or  common  honesty  ?  We  can  con- 
ceive of  no  apology  for  such  duplicity,  such  downright  and 
wanton  prevarication.  The  principles  of  masonry  have  not 
changed;  they  remain  as  they  were  when  this  Rev.  gentle- 
man and  other  seceders  gave  them  their  zealous  approbation 
and  support.  How  are  these  palpable  contradictions  to  be 
reconciled  ?  One  or  the  other  story  is  false.  To  admit 
their  last  statement  as  true  is  to  convict  them  of  deliberate 
misrepresentation  in  their  former  presentment  of  facts, 
and  to  admit  the  former  as  true,  drives  us  to  the  con- 
clusion as  to  the  latter.  For  in  the  one  case,  they  sol- 
emnly affirm  what,  in  the  other,  they  as  solemnly  deny. 
The  same  principles  and  practices,  the  same  rights  and  cere- 
monies they,  in  one  place,  call  holy  and  beneficient,  and 
fraught  with  benefits  to  the  human  race,  in  another,  they  call 
blasphemous  and  devilish,  subversive  of  morality  and  virtue, 
a  perfect  Pandora's  box,  pouring  curses  on  the  world.  Com- 
ment upon  such  conduct  we  leave  for  others. 

We  should  hope  that  with  candid  men,  the  foregoing  ex- 
position of  the  character  of  the  masonic  institution  would  be 
sufficient  to  convince  them  how  gross  and  barefaced  are  the 
misrepresentations  and  calumnies  against  our  order.  But 
to  satisfy  honest  prejudices  and  to  meet  every  charge  which 
is  brought  against  us,  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  no  doubt  on 
your  minds  in  regard  to  the  principles  of  masonr)',  wc  have 
judged  that  it  would  not  be  improper  to  notice  some  of  the 
allegations  more  particularly.  It  is  alleged,  among  other 
things,  that  we  take  upon  ourselves  obligations  or  oaths 
which  bind  us  to  assist  a  mason  when  in  difficulty,  right  or 
wrong — that  when  acting  as  judges  or  jurers,  we  are  bound 
by  our  obligations,  to  aid  or  favor  a  brother  mason — to  vote 
for  a  mason  in  preference  to  any  other  person,  and  what  is 
still  worse,  to  keep  the  secrets  of  a  mason,  murder  and  trea- 

209 


APPENDIX 

son  not  excepted.  We  should  suppose  that  such  charges 
against  us  were  sufficiently  absurd  in  themselves  to  carry 
with  them  their  own  refutation,  and  that  every  day's  ob- 
servation would  tend  to  convince  you  of  their  falsity.  We 
have  many  of  us  lived  long  in  the  county;  our  characters 
&  principles  are  well  known.  We  claim  no  excellence  above 
our  neighbors;  but  we  indignantly  repel  the  imputations  cast 
upon  us.  We  have  ever  been  divided  in  political  contests,  and 
still  continue  to  differ  as  much  in  our  political  and  religious 
sentiments  and  opinions  as  those  who  are  not  members  of  the 
institution.  We  do  assure  you,  that  masons,  like  other  men, 
are  left  entirely  free  to  vote  for  such  individuals  or  to  attach 
themselves  to  such  political  party  as  they  may  prefer.  We 
cannot  be  ignorant  of  the  requirements  of  masonic  obliga- 
tions. Some  of  us  are  templars  and  many  more  of  us  are 
royal  arch  masons,  and  we  say  to  you  that  we  have  taken  no 
such  obligations  as  those  above  mentioned,  neither  have  we 
ever  heard  any  such  administered;  there  are  none  such  in 
masonry,  and  we  declare  to  you  that  the  allegations  against 
us  in  these  respects,  are  entirely  false.  The  only  punish- 
ment against  unworthy  members,  known  in  our  institution, 
is  suspension,  or  expulsion;  none  other  is  sanctioned  by  it, 
and  the  crime  of  abduction  and  murder  is  as  much  repug- 
nant to,  and  at  war  with,  every  principle  and  usage  of  our 
order,  as  it  is  contrary  to  the  express  command  of  the  dec- 
alogue and  the  positive  enactments  in  our  statute  books; 
and  we  again  asseverate  that  if  injustice  and  oppression  or 
other  iniquities  have  been  practised  in  connexion  with  ma- 
sonry, or  if  individual  masons  have  been  guilty  of  crimes, 
there  is  nothing  in  the  principles,  or  instructions,  or  obliga- 
tions, or  forms  of  the  order,  which  requires  or  justifies  these 
things.  On  the  contrary,  its  principles  require  uprightness 
of  conduct  before  God  and  man;  and  explicitly  and 
directly  teach,  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  guide  of  our  faith 
and  practice.  They  teach  charity,  temperance,  chastity,  and 
to  be  good  and  true,  urging  the  whole  by  a  regard  to  death 
and  a  future  state.  All  this  so  far  as  we  know  and  under- 
stand these  principles,  is  essential  to  their  nature. 

In  conclusion,  fellow  citizens,  can  you  seriously  believe, 

210 


APPENDIX 

that  masonry  is  immoral  and  inimical  to  public  law,  order 
and  liberty?  We  would  remind  you  of  masons  who  were 
public  benefactors  to  our  country;  of  pious  ministers  of  the 
gospel  whose  learning  and  labors  of  love  were  an  honor  to 
human  nature:  and  yet  their  names  are  also  recorded  as  the 
firmest  friends  of  the  masonic  institution,  and  who  ceased  not 
to  desire  and  to  seek  its  prosperity  while  they  lived.  We  ask 
you  to  contrast  the  judgment  passed  on  the  institution  by 
Washington,  with  that  of  such  a  man  as  Solomon  Southwick 
or  Edward  Giddins.  You  will,  we  are  persuaded,  allow  to 
the  honest  opinion  and  sober  judgment  of  the  Father  of  our 
beloved  country,  its  just  weight.  He  says:  "  Being  per- 
suaded that  a  just  application  of  the  principles  on  which  the 
masonic  fraternity  is  founded,  must  be  promotive  of  private 
virtue  and  public  prosperity,  I  shall  always  be  happy  to  ad- 
vance the  interest  of  the  society  and  to  be  considered  by 
them  as  a  deserving  brother."  We  hope,  indeed,  there  are 
few  Americans  that  will  doubt  the  veracity  of  Washington,  or 
question  his  capability  to  distinguish  truth  from  falsehood, 
and  virtue  from  vice.  We  solemnly  assure  you,  that  we  ac- 
cord, in  our  understanding  and  our  conscience,  in  the  charac- 
ter of  the  institution  thus  expressed  by  the  man,  who  has  justly 
been  said  to  have  been  "first  in  peace,  first  in  war  and  first 
in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen."  That  there  have  been 
bad  members  of  the  fraternity,  we  do  not  deny;  but  who  will 
charge  this  on  the  institution  ?  Christianity  itself  would  fall 
by  this  test.  Who,  in  candor,  or  even  justice,  will  be  found 
to  charge  on  the  Catholic  church  the  guilt  of  the  massacre  of 
St.  Bartholomew?  The  principles  of  free  masonry  have 
been  always  before  the  public;  they  have  never  been  kept  se- 
cret: and  would  you  make  the  institution  answerable  for 
crimes  which  its  known  and  acknowledged  principles  con- 
demn and  would  ever  prevent  ?  None  but  Atheists  and  Scof- 
fers bring  the  crimes  of  Christians,  as  an  argument  against 
the  religion  they  profess:  and  where  is  the  consistency,  the 
candor,  the  sense  of  justice,  to  assail  the  masonic  institution 
in  this  way.  Fellow-citizens,  we  conjure  you  by  the  love  of 
our  country,  by  the  interests  of  religion  in  the  community, 
by  public  order  and  private  peace,  to  frown  upon  this  ruth- 

211 


APPENDIX 

less  persecution  of  unprincipled  politicians — this  crusade 
against  your  brothers,  fathers  and  sons,  for  in  all  these  re- 
lations we  stand  towards  anti-masons.  We  have  honestly, 
fellow-citizens,  endeavored  to  give  you  the  true  character  of 
the  institution  to  which  we  belong.  We  do  not  pretend  that 
this  institution,  good  as  we  esteem  it  to  be,  is  necessary  to 
the  existence  and  happiness  of  society,  or  to  good  character 
and  usefulness  of  individuals,  more  than  others  that  might 
be  named.  But  we  again  solemnly  assure  you,  that  we  have 
never  seen  any  thing  in  the  works  and  doings  of  lodges  which 
was  immoral  and  wicked,  which  intermeddled  with  political 
affairs,  or  infringed  at  all  upon  the  laws  of  our  country  and 
which  tended  to  weaken  moral  obligation  and  prevent  the 
good  citizen  from  doing  his  duty  without  partiality.  We 
rest  this  appeal  with  you,  we  have  no  doubt  of  being  believed 
where  we  are  known.  We  ask  but  common  justice,  and 
common  candor — we  ask  but  our  rights  as  citizens,  as 
christians  and  as  men. 

John  Billings,  Trenton. 

Benj.  Brayton, 

Grove  Post, 

William  H.  Champlin,  " 

Eleazar  Wightman, 

John  M.  Watson,  " 

Thadaus  Ball,  " 

Ephraim  Hollister,  " 

Nathan  Gurney,  " 

Romeo  D.  Marshall,  " 

Warren  Dodge,  " 

Isaac  Curry, 

Cornelius  H.  Schermerhorn,     " 

Samuel  Pitman,  " 

Jinks  Jenkins, 

Isaac  B.  Peirce, 

Ashbel  Woodbridge, 


ADDENDA 

1810 

DIVINE  DECREES,  AN  ENCOURAGEMENT 
TO  THE  USE  OF  MEANS.  A  Sermon  Delivered 
AT  Granville,  (N.  Y.)  June  25,  1805,  Before  the 
Evangelical  Society,  Instituted  for  the  Pur- 
pose OF  Aiding  Pious  and  Needy  Young  Men 
in  Acquiring  Education  for  the  Work  of  the 
Gospel  Ministry.  By  Lemuel  Haynes,  A.  M. 
Pastor  of  a  Church  in  Rutland,  Vermont. 
(Published  by  the  Request  of  the  Society.) 
Utica:     Printed  by  Seward  and  Williams.  18 10. 

THE  FAREWELL  ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE 
WASHINGTON,  to  the  People  of  the  United 
States,  on  the  17TH  of  September,  1796.  Utica: 
Printed  by  Seward  and  Williams.     1810. 


Wood  Cut  Book  Label  by  William  Williams,  Utica,  1824. 


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